Ebony: Book Two of the Crimson Series
by Alice M. Radcliffe
Summary: After a phone call from Damon's brother, Cal, Evie and her new husband regrettably return to Wolfcrest. In pursuit of eternal happiness, the gang get back together again to bring Alphaeus down once and for all with the help of a pack of werewolves, an old crone, and the Original Witch.
1. Chapter 1: Wedding Bells

Chapter One:

Wedding Bells

The ivory wooden doors of the town hall burst open to make way for the new Mr. and Mrs. Damon Leonardo Moretti. My husband and I raced out through the threshold, hand in hand, and hopped into our precious, dull blue classic Mustang convertible, a car I was irrevocably convinced he had stolen during our time back home. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

"I do" was still on the tip of my tongue as we left the building. I do want to be with this man for the rest of my immortal life, want to see him beside me looking handsome and young and sweet for all eternity. And he _would_ be as handsome as he was today for the remainder of our perpetual lives.

He wore a tuxedo that complemented his thick, dark hair and his pale blue eyes. In comparison, my white, knee-length dress seemed insignificant. He was the only thing I could settle my eyes on.

The two of us smiled, simply happy to have sealed our love with a kiss, as Damon started the engine. There isn't another sound in the world that I would ever want to hear as much as that purr when the key turned in the ignition. Vroom. Vroom towards _our_ house, our _home_.

Damon parked the car in the parking loop at the front of the house and we stared into each other's eyes for a moment. The feeling of renewed life, however intangible, was in the air. It was a brilliant, blue sky kind of day and we sat in the sun, soaking it all in. When we entered through the front door, Damon scooped me up into his arms and brought me to the kitchen to celebrate. He had asked me a hundred times if I would rather go somewhere special but I liked the home setting. We decided, also, that we were not going to delve into the O-positive on this occasion either. This was not a celebration with blood. It was a celebration with love, for all three of us—Damon, the baby, and I.

He placed an ear on my stomach and listened for the sound he was most anxious for. I didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking. We were both going to be parents! The thought of two vampires procreating in general was an odd thing to wonder about, but to actually be those two who had the opportunity to bring a life into this world, it was overwhelmingly spectacular. It had never been done before, not that anyone knew of anyway. The fact that it happened for us was a complete accident, but a joyful one. Damon wanted to give me everything in the world that I could ever desire and so he had us try, without telling me that was his intention. With our willpowers combined—and a little magical power—we were able to conceive, and it was a miraculous feeling. So much of my life was falling into place that it made me wonder what our future as a family was going to be like.

That night, we spent the hours of darkness in each other's arms. When Damon had said that he would never leave my side again, he was absolutely serious. Wherever I went, he followed. Every time the baby forced me into sickness, he was there to cradle me while I was weakened. Even for a vampire, this baby-carrying thing was rough. It was as if all of my strength was washing out of me because, while I was strong, my baby was stronger. I often questioned if this was how human mothers felt. I imagined it would be something similar, right?

Many times I have wondered if our baby was actually going to survive the nine months or so that I was going to have to carry it inside of me. Damon wasn't a doctor but he seemed to think that, thanks to my witchy side, my baby-making organs were functioning at top notch like any other human being. I hadn't made myself human—my heart remained unbeating—but certain parts inside of me were working in a way that would produce a beautiful, healthy baby. When I asked him about what we were going to do when it arrived, all he could say was, "We will love it, cherish it, and give it the best life any little boy or girl could ever ask for." He knew what I really meant, but he wasn't willing to think too much about it. Another death, another loss, another life taken away by fate and misfortune, it would force him to rip his heart out of his chest and tear it up into a billion tiny pieces.

There was a possibility that our baby could be human. If it was, what was going to happen when both of its parents never aged as it grew up? Damon and I could pass for college students, around thirty years old—tops—for him, and mid to late twenties for me. What were we going to tell our child when he or she suddenly looked older than the both of us combined? What would we tell everyone else? Those random people on the street who were curious or those people who would grow close to us as was natural. What would we say? Would one of us become our child's "child" to those human outsiders, posing as relatives but in a switched order of roles?

As I slept, I dreamt. Eyelids shut, I could see better than I ever could before, vampire or not. I was sitting on the edge of a cliff, my feet dangling off the side. The drop off was about a mile high and all there was below was the grass and the trees, above only sky. As I looked around me, there was a range of mountains in the distance. The longer I watched, the more petrified I became. A great darkness was sweeping over the land in front of me, headed straight for my cliff. Give me a lion or a vicious man-eating beast any day. I could tear it to shreds in a second. What could I do to a heap of dark, devastating smog?

Without even thinking about where Damon might be, I got up and started running in the opposite direction at full vamp speed. This thing wasn't going to catch me. I wouldn't let it.

Not too long afterwards, Damon finally caught up to me and we sprinted through the woods together, hand in hand. I was glad to have him by my side and grateful that he couldn't hear my thoughts which meant he couldn't find out I had purposefully left without caring about his safety.

All of a sudden, he got the strangest notion to stop and face the darkness.

I probed his mind to get an idea of what the heck he was thinking, but all I heard was silence. It wasn't just a silence in his mind, but a complete and utter lack of sound everywhere. All of the animals that normally lived in that forest were long gone, afraid of the approaching danger. My ears rang with an emptiness from the total absence of sound.

The moment I blinked, we were somewhere else. I recognized a few bits and pieces of the landscape but otherwise I had no idea where we were, only enough to know that it was somewhat familiar to me. The place in which we stood was a large patch of grass. Around the edges of the irregular rectangle were tons and tons of rosebushes and hedges. Somewhere along one of the walls of shrubberies, a fountain sat proud, even older than the man whose father had the property built for him. Could we be here? It was as I suspected. Damon and I were standing in the middle of the Moretti's garden, a yard that stretched from here to kingdom come.

Holding hands, we stood valiantly as the great darkness came closer and ever closer. As it reached the edge of the clearing, my instincts kicked in again and I wanted to run, run for my immortal life. But Damon held me as tightly as his lesser form could manage, denying me the right to flight. In no time at all, the darkness swept over us. As the smog blurred my vision, making it impossible to see, I could hear crying from a small voice in the distance calling for his mother.

Immediately, I tugged away from Damon's feeble grip and searched for the one who made that sobbing noise. He sounded so scared, I wanted to help him, to hold him tight and tell him that everything was going to be okay. In the abyss of black, I could hear his heartbeat. I followed it, promising myself that no harm would come to this boy.

Just as the thought had crossed my mind, the boy let out a squeal and the heartbeat was no more.

I woke up screaming, tears flowing down my cheeks.

Damon cradled me in his loving arms and waited until the crying stopped to ask what was wrong.

I took in a deep, staggering breath and shook my head as if that would help get the sounds and images out of my skull. "Nothing. Just a nightmare."

He believed that about as much as he believed that I really wanted to go to England for our honeymoon—which I actually didn't, but if I got to spend time with him, the location didn't really matter to me. _Don't lie to me, Evie. I know you well enough to know that you're faking it. Tell me what's wrong._

Ignoring his mental pleas, I got up, got dressed, and headed for the door. We were leaving for England today and I wanted to visit Leo, the college student I had saved towards the beginning of the week, one last time before we went away. Naturally, Damon was blocking the entrance as I attempted to escape him.

"Evelyn," he scolded.

I simply pushed past him and ran out to the car. As I turned my gaze to the passenger's seat, I saw him sitting there in a dark purple button down and a pair of dress pants. He knew where we were going and he wanted to look as good as he thought I did. I don't know if he was trying to be funny or if he had even really put much planning into it, but we matched, he in his outfit and me in my black dress and dark purple stomach belt and accessories.

Now that everyone who wanted to go was in the Mustang, I started the engine and sped down the street until we reached the hospital. The moment the car was in park, Damon was by the door to the driver's side, opening the door like a proper gentleman. I got out and walked alongside him into the building, gently catching his hand as we strolled.

"Evie!" Leo called to me as we stepped through the sliding doors. He was sitting in a wheelchair out in the lobby, enjoying his morning stroll around the complex. He wheeled over to us and smiled. "You must be the new husband I heard very little about. I'm Leo, Leo del Lenora." He thrust out his arm for a handshake, calculating in his mind if the man standing beside me actually deserved to call me his wife. I had to seal my lips tightly to keep myself from laughing.

_Del Lenora?_ He shook my friend's outstretched hand as he replied, "My name's Damon. Damon Moretti."

"Evie Moretti, huh? That's a very Italian last name."

"Speak for yourself," he mumbled.

I elbowed him in the side and grinned back at Leo. "Do you mind if we join you on your…walk?"

He eyed my husband suspiciously. "Not at all. Right this way." Leo turned his wheelchair around on the spot and headed off down the nearest corridor. He was trying to show off, to impress me. It was working. He must have really been practicing with that thing and I was just as proud as any fake sister would be.

We quickly followed him down the hall until we caught up to him. He was going a lot faster than I had anticipated he would be able to go. I would have thought that he wasn't allowed to do a lot of strenuous things to avoid busting his stitches open or something.

A ways down the wide and lengthy hallway was a patient courtyard. Leo slammed the handicapped button and wheeled himself outside among the greenery. In the hospital's garden there were so many bright flowers; tulips, orchids, daffodils and cherry blossoms were all nestled in the giant square. When I looked up I realized that there was a skylight. We were inside an indoor greenhouse.

The patient kept on going until we were at the very center of the gardens near a large fern. Then he spun around and smiled at me. "I'm glad you came. Don't married people normally go on honeymoons after they get hitched?" he asked. _Maybe she doesn't want to be alone with him for that long so they decided to stay._

I chuckled. "Yes they do. We're actually leaving today in about an hour. I just wanted to say goodbye before we left." I sat on the bench a couple feet away and invited my husband to sit down as well. "How are you doing, Leo? Do you need anything?"

_A kiss would be nice_. "I'm okay. I'd be a lot better if I wasn't stuck in this stupid thing," he sighed, slamming his fists on the arms of the wheelchair.

An idea struck my brain like cannon fire and I shot up from my perch. "I'll be right back. Would you like something to drink? I'll go get you something while I'm there."

_Evie, what are you doing?_ Damon called to me with his thoughts._ Evie. Evelyn!_

"You two play nice." I walked back the way we had come, in search of the café. Not too far down the hall, I found a sign that led me in the general direction thereof. I continued to allow the signs to guide me the correct way and went through the threshold.

Right through the door, there stood a line of refrigerated containers along the right wall. The chefs served hot food along the left wall while straight down the middle were the cashiers. I quickly grabbed a bottle of red fruit punch out of one of the refrigerators and ran over to the register to pay for it. I must have been acting strangely because the cashier seemed to note my odd behavior, wondering if I had escaped from the psychiatric wing. On the way back, I stopped at the restrooms. Without thinking too much about it, I emptied out a third of the bottle, grabbed my pocketknife out of my purse, and sliced my left palm. Blood dripping, I squeezed my fist over the juice and let it fall into the bottle, drop by drop, until it could hold no more. Then I closed the bottle and shook it up like there was no tomorrow—because if Damon realized what I had done, there would be no tomorrow for me.

When I came back, no one asked where I had been. At least, not out loud.

_What the heck is wrong with her all of a sudden? She's acting really strange_, noted Leo.

_Evie, what's going on? Tell me right now._

"Nothing," I whispered under my breath. "Here, I brought you some juice. I figured the sugar and extra vitamins would be good for you." I handed Leo the bottle and returned to my seat.

_Strange_, he repeated. "Thanks…" He didn't even notice or care that the seal on the bottle was broken. He just opened it up and chugged away knowing that, if he didn't drink some, it would probably hurt my feelings. _That's weird. It kind of tastes like it expired… Well, bottom's up!_ In a single chug, he finished off the liquid and grinned. "Much better."

If only he knew how much better he was going to feel. Seeing as the blood would take time to enter his veins and take its effect, I decided Damon and I would leave in no more than ten minutes. I wanted to witness his partial recuperation for his real sister back home. _Speaking of which…_ "Have you had a chance to contact your family?" If I, a meager substitute for the real people who loved him, was so worried about his condition then I couldn't imagine how terrible his parents and sibling would feel.

"Yeah," he replied. "My mom and dad are driving up next weekend. They don't want me traveling home by myself but they want me to come home for the break." _Even though I told them I'd rather stay here… To recover, of course. I guess I'm glad they're coming. _"I haven't seen them in a while."

I grinned. "I'm glad to hear you'll be able to see them again soon. What about your exams? How did you do on those? I still can't believe you asked the doctor to let you leave. You really shouldn't have put so much stress on yourself." I was going to complain some more about how foolish it was for him to have made that decision, but I really wanted to hear his answer to my question. Plus, I felt too much like a mother scolding her child. It didn't seem natural though, in a weird way, the real problem was that it felt _too _natural.

He shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal. It was definitely worth the all A's I got on my finals." The smile that crossed his expression spoke just as loudly as the thoughts that shouted at me in his mind. It was so plain that Damon picked up on the emotions and glared while Leo wasn't looking.

_Keep your hands and face off my woman, peach._

I couldn't understand why he would result to name-calling using a type of fruit, but at least he appeared to be thinking of something other than what I was up to.

As if he was suddenly the mind reader in this relationship, he added, _Don't think you're off the hook just yet, Evelyn. _And that was the last thought he had on the subject until the moment I decided we were ready to leave.

"Well, we better go. We have a flight to catch, but I'll see you again when we get back." _If you even need to be in the hospital when we get back_, I added internally.

Damon kept on glaring at me as we said goodbye to Leo and I gave him a kiss on the cheek and an awkward wheelchair hug. We left him there in the greenhouse and returned to the parking lot.

As soon as we made it passed the doors, Damon grabbed my arm and pushed me up against the wall. "What did you do, Evie?"

"Nothing, Damon. Stop!"

"Don't _lie_ to me, Evie! I could smell the blood on his breath. You gave him your blood, didn't you?" When I didn't answer he repeated his question. "Didn't you?!"

"Yes, I'm sorry! I just couldn't stand to see him so helpless."

He took a deep breath and stood back to more calmly assess the situation. Then he took me in his arms and sighed. "I'm sorry, but you have to be more careful about these things. I know you're just trying to help, but it's dangerous to just start handing out your blood to every human that you feel bad for. One of these days, something is going to happen to them while the blood is in their system and one of your friends will become a vampire who we won't be there to care for." He stroked my cheek and gave me a kiss. "Come on," he said softly. "Let's go."

It didn't take long for us to be on good terms again. Damon took us to the airport and did that thing with the charming look and the smoldering eyes; I couldn't help myself from melting and then we forgave each other. After all, we had only just gotten married and our love was stronger than any of that human nonsense. Vampires mate for life so we weren't going anywhere without the other any time soon.

After hours and hours of plane riding, Damon and I arrived at the Heathrow airport. Great Britain was a spectacular place to visit, especially during the winter. Soon it would be Christmas and that meant that the whole of London was lit up like a Christmas tree. The streets, sidewalks, and buildings were all lined with snow and many of the main roads had a ceiling of blue and white lights overhead. It was beautiful.

Ah, the many sights that England had to offer. There was the Tower of London with its nine hundred years of history all enclosed inside a magnificent fortress. In the bowels of the tower, there was said to be one of the scariest prisons and torture chambers in existence, make the building as whole one of the most haunted places ever built. Then there was the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park, which was going to be one of our ticks on our to-do list tomorrow along with the British Museum, the changing of the guard, Westminster Abbey, the London Aquarium, and seeing Big Ben up close! You couldn't possibly drown my excitement for all of the things that we were going to be able to see while we were out there. London was such a foreign place to me, the unknown city, but that didn't stop me from wanting to get a closer look. Even after seeing all of those places, many more would have to follow: the London Eye, the science museum, the Royal Opera House, the London Zoo, Kew Gardens, and all of the other things that would make this list so much longer. All of the gardens, cathedrals, museums, animal exhibits, and theaters would take a lifetime to see at a leisurely pace. But our first stop, of course, was Buckingham Palace. Like the proud Americans we were, we decided that we would follow tradition and try to make the nutcracker soldier laugh.

We didn't even wait to go to our hotel room first to get out of this early morning air. Vampires didn't even care about the cold because it didn't really alter us. Instead, we sent our suitcases ahead to the hotel as Damon had already arranged with the staff and the taxi driver. Then it began, the challenge of the century. Could we do it? Who would be the reigning champion?

"Ladies first" meant that it was up to me to take the first crack at the guy. I thought of the funniest joke that I had in my repertoire and grinned as I rattled it off. "Three girls walk into a bar—a brunette, a red head, and a green-haired chick. The bartender asks the brunette how she keeps her hair so brown. The brunette combs her hands through her hair and says, 'It's natural.' Then the bartender asks the red head how she keeps her hair so red. She combs her hands through her hair and says, 'It's natural.' Then he asks the green-haired girl how she keeps her hair so green. She sneezes into her hands, combs her hands through her hair, and says, 'It's natural.'"

The soldier remained unaltered.

"My turn!" Damon beamed as he took his place in front of the man with the tall, poufy ebony-feathered hat. "What are the two sexiest farm animals? Brown chicken, brown cow!"

Still nothing.

"There were three men on a hill with their watches. The first man threw his watch down the hill and it broke. The second man threw his watch down the hill and it broke. The third man threw his watch down the hill, walked all the way to the bottom, and caught it. The other two men were puzzled and asked the third man how he did it. The third man said, 'Easy. My watch is five minutes slow!'"

"A wife told his husband to whisper her dirty things. The man then replied, 'The kitchen, the living room, the conservatory, and the dining room.'"

"What do you get when you cross a panther with a hamburger? Really fast food!"

"The worst place to have a heart attack is during a game of charades, especially if the people you are playing with are really bad at guessing."

"An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel he decided to send his wife a quick email. Unfortunately, when typing her address, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife, Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here."

"A girl asks her mother, 'What if a boy hugs me?' Her mother said, 'Say don't.' The girl asked, 'What if he kisses me?' Mom replied, 'Say stop.' The next day when the girl goes to school, her boyfriend hugs and kisses her, so she did as her mother told her to and she quickly said 'Don't stop!'"

Still nothing.

Damon and I stepped towards the curb, folded our arms, and collaborated what our next strategy was going to be. By now, people had gathered to watch the silly Americans do their thing and we weren't about to disappointment them.

Together, we stood in front of the soldier in red and grinned with absolute certainty that this was going to work.

"Knock, knock," I began.

"Who's there?" asked Damon.

"Banana."

"Banana who?"

"Banana, banana. Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Banana."

"Banana who?"

"Banana, banana. Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Orange."

"Orange who?"

"Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"

We both started busting up. "Isn't that funny?" asked Damon, his pupils dilating.

To everyone else's surprise, the royal guard started uncontrollably laughing. In shock, there was a moment of silence to appreciate the sound before they all began applauding.

Damon and I took our bows and sauntered off before someone came to reprimand us. Actually, it was more of a run—it's hard to tell the difference when my top speed is faster than the speed of sound. We didn't stop until we made it to our hotel. No one would suspect anyone that entered the most expensive hotel in Europe of petty crimes like disrupting the peace.

"Damon Moretti and wife."

The concierge typed his name into the computer and pulled up our reservation. "May I please see your documents?"

My husband grabbed our passports from his jacket pocket and turned them over to the man behind the desk after which they were promptly returned.

The Englishman twisted around to grab a key from one of the many slots and gestured towards the elevator. "Allow me to show you and your wife to your room, sir."

Up we went until there were no longer any floors above us. The elevator doors opened to reveal a short hallway. At the end of this hallway was a pair of doors. The concierge approached the double doors and quickly unlocked them so he could push them out of the way. "And here we are, the honeymoon suite."

Damon tipped the man who handed over the key and left us alone with a, "Have a good day, sir. Madame." I was a "Madame" now. _How weird is that?_

The room was amazing, like nothing I'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. The ceiling was at least twice the height of me and Damon put together and the walls had this gold paint coated on the designs that had been etched what seemed to be hundreds of years ago. The décor as a whole matched the eighteenth century look with the patterned gold loveseats and the colonial era fireplace. It was very romantic.

"Holy Moses! How much did this cost?"

"Does it matter?" Damon countered, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I would have said, "Yeah because if it costs more than the number I have in my head, I would have told you not bother with making a reservation and I would have done everything myself." It was his family's money but paying this much for a room seemed wasteful. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to caution him.

He nibbled my neck to make me forget that I had ever asked such a question. It wasn't fair. He could always get his way and he didn't even have to try that hard.

And so the honeymooning part of our stay commenced and didn't stop until the following morning, Christmas Eve. Waking up in his arms was all I could ever ask for in a life without life. The connection, that bond, helped us to communicate in those hours that we spent just lying there without ever saying a word. We were exchanging words of love and longing stares and smiles. We were happy.

This was all I wanted. I didn't need the fancy room or the London view or the sights that sat on the other side of the wall. All I needed was me and him and this pose for the rest of eternity. I didn't need to be human either. I just had to be with him and the humanity came from the depths of our hearts, from the love that we shared every waking hour and those few that we slept through.

"No more secrets," he said.

"No more secrets," I repeated with a glimmer of joy. "Never, ever again." We could have plenty of them together. There should never be anything that we needed to keep from the other.

With a smile, he pressed his tender lips to mine and relaxed as I lay there still on top of him. If only life could be that simple all the time.

All of a sudden, his cellphone went off, playing one of the greatest Depeche Mode songs in existence. He flipped us over so he was on top of me, gave me one more lengthy kiss, and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" he said, staring at my face with a smile.

As the other person spoke, his expression changed from blissful to stern and he looked away.

"We'll be right there," he replied to the person before he closed the phone and said the words that I had never imagined would escape from his lips. "We have to go back."


	2. Chapter 2: Our Eminent Return

Chapter Two:

Our Eminent Return

I didn't need to probe his mind to know where he meant. "What do you mean we have to go back? I promised myself a long time ago that I was never going to step foot in that town again." Wolfcrest was the very bane of my existence and I couldn't face it again, not with all of those terrible memories looming overhead like a storm cloud that just wouldn't leave me alone, raining hopelessness over the thought that maybe happiness is possible. In that place, it wasn't. Too many bodies were piled up there to make it a sanctuary for me again, too many good thoughts crushed in a single moment.

Damon knew that and he lay beside me to hold me close. "I know, Evie. I know. I wouldn't say it unless we absolutely had to. That was Cal. He said that Alphaeus has escaped. We need to go find him before he goes and does something drastic."

When he put it like that, it was hard to refuse. "Okay," I choked out. "Okay." I was scared out of my wits, but he was going to be there with me every step of the way. I could do this for the people that I had spent so much of my life with, for those Wolfcrestors who never stopped helping me since my parents died. They deserved that much.

We packed away our stuff, took a few quick pictures that would remind us of the short but peaceful time that we had spent together in London, and caught a cab that would take us back to the airport. Since it was the holiday season, there weren't any available flights left but that didn't stop Damon. He had me scope out the place for a person who had two first class tickets to New York and he did the deed of compelling them into compliance. He made sure to pay the man—mostly because he knew I would beat him up if he didn't give the guy some sort of compensation—and then we were on our way.

Within a few hours, we made it back to the States. Thanks to our complete lack of luck and the fact that is was Christmas Eve, all of the cars were already rented.

Damon tugged me along passed the rental car place and went straight to the parking garage.

"Damon, what are we doing here? Why don't we just run to Wolfcrest?" I asked innocently.

He searched the rows of cars until he came across a midnight, crimson-trimmed SSC Ultimate Aero XT—a supercar, built for speed. "Here, take these," he commanded politely, handing me the bags. I don't know how but, without too much effort or trickery, he managed to get the door open and start the car without a key.

_I should have known_, I thought. I put the luggage into the trunk and hopped into the passenger's seat.

With a devilish grin, he turned on the radio to a rock station and turned up the volume until it was so loud that a normal person's eardrums would have exploded. He put on a pair of sunglasses that belonged to the owner of the car as he sang along to the music and sped through the many levels of the garage until we reached the toll booth. He rolled down the window, shifted his glasses a little so the lady in the booth could see his eyes and compelled her that the ticket was prepaid. Then he pushed the sunglasses to a proper spot along the bridge of his nose, put the window up, and took off as soon as the road barrier had fully ascended. My husband was a criminal mastermind but I loved him regardless.

Speed limits didn't exist for a vampire who could throw off a cop with a single word. Damon went as fast as the car would go all the way to town, a five hour trip made in exactly one hour and seven minutes.

As we passed the sign that read "Welcome to Wolfcrest" my heart sank. Too many horrible memories filled each stone, brick, and slab of concrete. Every fiber of my being told me to get out of the car and start running but I couldn't do that to these people. They needed me and I wasn't going to let them down.

Waiting outside of Moretti manor was Damon's brother and my brother-in-law, Cal. He was standing in front of the gigantic house with his hands in his pockets. The second our eyes met, my heart stirred with apologies. I didn't regret my decision but, in a way, it didn't seem fair to him that I would suddenly go with my affection to the one place that none of us were expecting, his brother.

Damon and I got out of the car and immediately linked ourselves together. Damon was worried that his stake wasn't quite claimed yet and he wasn't about to lose me to his brother again. I wanted to punch him in the arm for having such a ridiculous thought, but he was right. Just because I was committed to our relationship didn't mean that Cal respected my decision enough to stay away. Personally, I didn't see him doing any such thing but I could at least see where Damon was coming from and why he wanted to hold me around the waist so we were almost literally connected at the hip.

"Hey," greeted Cal.

"Hey," replied my husband. You'd never guess that the two guys were related from how indifferent they were being right now. There was some obvious contention going on and I wasn't about to have that.

"How have you been?" I asked, trying to communicate the fact that I still cared enough about him to want peace between us.

He shrugged. "Same old, same old." Without looking away from my eyes, he got right to the point of why we were there. "Like I told Damon on the phone, Alphaeus has escaped but we still have Cerebella trapped inside."

"How did you even get them to stay there? What could possibly hold a couple of Originals?" The exact meaning of the word was somewhat unfamiliar to me, but I could only guess that a synonym for Original was powerful. A simple cell in the basement might work for any old newbie vampire or the Moretti brothers, but it couldn't possibly stop Alphaeus and Cerebella from tearing it to pieces.

"Ben managed to create a force field similar to the one that the Originals used for the turning ceremony. It allows people to get in but, once they're in, they can't get out. I don't know how but he got it to work without using any sacrifices. He thinks that, since the spell wasn't as concrete without them, that even the tiniest mistake could have made a sort of chink in the barrier. He claims he was slightly unfocused after you took off and this could have been enough to create Alphaeus's trapdoor. Luckily for us, Cerebella couldn't use it after we realized that her brother was gone. Ben had already mended the hole by then and was able to keep her inside."

Damon nodded towards the door. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside."

No words were exchanged. Instead, we followed Cal inside and waited for him to close the door behind us before anything else was said. We entered the living room and all of the memories started rushing in like bacteria infesting a wounded heart. So many things had happened in that house, heart-wrenching, terrible, wonderful things. Things that could only be suppressed with the rest of the lot.

As if none of it had ever happened, Damon and I sat down on one of the couches, his arm now around my shoulders, and smiled like the happy couple that we were trying to be despite the mess that had befallen us.

"So," my husband began. "What are we going to do with the wench in the basement?"

"Right now, there's nothing we can do. We can't torture her for information because if anyone steps inside the bubble, they're stuck there. I suppose we could try pelting her with a couple valerian bombs or something while someone slips in and out of there but it's risky."

"Sometimes you need to risk a little to get results. Besides, if we have backup on standby, it should be fine. We can get the person out before any harm comes to them, thanks to witch boy." Damon grinned, all for his plan.

_If you're so willing to risk somebody, why don't you just go in and get stuck for the rest of your miserable existence._ "Yeah," Cal replied aloud. "That could work. We'll have to talk about it with the rest of the group later."

My eyebrows came together in a quizzical line. "What do you mean 'group'? Isn't it just going to be the three of us?" Adding Ben didn't exactly count as a group either.

"Well, if you don't want our help, that's fine I suppose," uttered Ian as he and Ben came down the stairs that led to the second floor balcony corridor. "We might not be vampires, but I think we deserve to be in your little club after all the hard work we've been doing."

Too excited to restrain myself, I shot up and ran over to them to give each a hug, Ian first. "I'm sorry, guys! I didn't mean it like that! I just didn't know you two were joining us." Honestly, I was surprised that Ian was even there, let alone teaming up with us. He hated vampires, especially Damon and Cal, because they had feelings for me. Now that I was a vampire too, he seemed to be more complacent.

"I might not be supernatural but I've been hunting down vampires for a while. I think I can handle myself."

"Not against an Original! Cal and Damon couldn't even take him on, no offense."

"Ouch," said my husband mockingly as he smirked, as if what I said was only okay because he knew what I really thought about him.

Cal stayed silently indifferent, secretly thinking horrible things about Damon and the others. Under all that man fluff, the only thought I heard was _I wish I'd gotten a hug…_ He didn't like being left out.

I stuck my tongue out at Damon and grinned. "You know what I mean."

"Actually," Ben began. "Ian was the one that discovered Alphaeus was missing in the first place. If it wasn't for him, both of the Originals could have escaped before we even had a clue. He's very useful for our cause, if you think about it. Rogue vampire hunter versus a big, psychopath like Alphaeus? We're going to need all the manpower we can get, human or otherwise." He smiled. "I, of course, am the magical, awesome side of this plan and you need me whether you like it or not." _So you can't get rid of me now, wise guy_, he added, knowing perfectly well that I could hear his thoughts—although, he didn't know the part where I could hear them whether he was pushing them on me or not.

_Wouldn't dream of it. _"Wait, but why were you here in the first place?" I asked Ian as we migrated to the parallel couches—Damon immediately wrapped his arm around me and made sure I was right beside him after that.

Ben nudged Ian while wearing a playfully malevolent grin. "He just got bored and decided he'd rather hang out with a warlock and a bloodsucker than just being a boring, old French teacher. Isn't that right, Mr. Quinton?"

Ian elbowed him back and glared. "No, I wanted to make sure that Evie was okay after this idiot," he said as he gestured to my husband. "Told me that you had been turned into a vampire and had run away because you were being chased by crazy, super strong vampires who wanted her for something. Not to mention, he found you guys in the first place by using a special creature tracking device made out of a compass and glowing ring that tells the wearer if the compass detects something." All of this was said in a single, long-winded breath. I didn't even know that he could talk that much, let alone all at once. Come to think of it, I had yet to learn a lot about this guy. He was practically unknown to me in my different ways.

"I see…" To me, it was all a big blur full of words I think I understood. None of it really meant anything to me. It would have made more sense if I wasn't so ecstatic at merely getting to see those guys again. I was on somewhat shaky terms with Ian because of his stunt with Cal and the wooden bullets back in the day but I was actually kind of over it. He meant to do it as an expression of love, affection, and worry. Now that everyone else in town thought I was dead, I was happy to accept anyone into my ring of friends that knew I was really alive.

"What do we know about Alphaeus's ring and compass anyway?" inquired Damon curiously. He brought up a really good point. Perhaps if we could use knowledge to our advantage, we might be able to track him down. Learning the origin of those items could be extremely important if not vital to the mission.

"Not much," said Cal, desperate to rejoin the conversation for some reason I wasn't allowed to know. He seemed to be more careful around Ben. Did he not know that I had the same powers? Did any of them know? But, then again, how could they? We had been gone.

Ian took the emblematic baton from Cal and ran with it. "The compass is drawn to 'special creatures' or supernatural beings with an extra special amount of power or potential. Cal told us about it after he got back from…wherever you guys were. Evie must have shown her potential even while she was human. From what I've heard, it normally picks up the scent of supernatural creatures only." He reached out to me in his thoughts, forgetting that there were forces in that room who could hear them. _I'm so sorry this had to happen_.

I wanted to tell him that I was okay with it now. There were so many things in my life that were going okay that this one little thing wasn't going to stop me from enjoying myself. I had Damon now and we were married in a blissful union with a baby on the way. I had college to look forward to and I was going to become something in my eternal lifetime. Sure, there were a lot of things that were still unknown to me that I would have liked to know more about, but that didn't mean I would have given it all up just to be human again. Mortality was a disease that I had since been rid of. I just never fit in that way, as a human girl with nothing to offer the world. After I got my powers, both magical and otherwise, I was able to help people that perhaps I never would have been able to help before. I was okay. Why didn't he see that?

When I looked at his face again, my mind flashed to the one person who I wanted to talk to more than ever who wasn't allowed to know I was alive. She couldn't because one day, she'd be an old woman and I would still be a teenage girl with a college student husband and a family of my own. It would be easier to leave her knowledge of me the way that it was, but that didn't mean I wanted to talk to her any less. My wonderful Aunt Fauna, the woman who had helped raise me since I was five years old. What would she think of me now, the immortal vampire, the blood drinker? Would she be proud of me because I had finally found my place in the world or would she hate the very sight of me and wish me dead? I couldn't bear to think about that second scenario. In my mind, I hadn't changed all that much. I was still the teenage girl who hated mornings, loved drawing in my notebook during class, and who wrote down all of her thoughts and wanted to share them with the world. I still wanted everything that I wanted before, but now I had more than I ever could have hoped for. She would be proud of that, right?

Damon had to give me a good shake to bring me back into the present. I wasn't doing so good with our return to Wolfcrest and he could see the effect it was having on me. _We'll be gone soon enough. We'll just take care of this and go. I promise._

I nodded slightly, trying not to grab anyone else's attention—except for Ben, because it didn't matter if he could see us; he could still hear us. My eyes grew heavy and, all of a sudden I had the urge to sleep. I rested my head on my husband's shoulder and listened with the best of my abilities to the conversation happening around me.

"Well, what I want to know is how we're going to track down the son of a b****," commented Cal agitatedly. _And why the hell he wanted Evie and all those other creatures I helped him find._

"I imagine we're going to have to do that the old fashioned way. I could easily perform a tracking spell and meditate on it but I'm going to need something of his and the only thing I can think of is guarded by a force field that none of us can cross without getting stuck there forever." Ben was adamant on that point. He would gladly be the one to jump in there with the stupid vamp chick, but there was no way to lift the force field without risking her escape and there was no way he was going to allow that kind of a possibility. Not on his watch.

_Hmm… What if…?_ Ian was contemplating, and the idea wasn't half bad. "Could we use his device against him somehow? Instead of letting it track other people, we could make it come to us or something, use it to get him here." _That sounds dumb now that I say it out loud. I want to find this guy just as much as the rest of them. He's probably killing and turning loads of innocent people who didn't deserve to go out like that. _He started mentally swearing in French, as if, somehow, that was going to help them come up with a solution.

"Evie, what do you think?" asked Cal. _I'm sorry, is this serious dilemma boring you because I can go find something else for you to do if you want._

With a sigh, I sat up straight and opened my eyes. They were all staring at me like I was going to give them the answer that they were searching for. "Uh… I don't know. Why don't we just wait for him to come to us? We have his sister and he won't just leave her behind. They've been together since they were born. Spending a long time apart from her would be the ultimate suffering." I wouldn't want to be away from Ben that long, either. These past few months had been torture. For the longest time, I had to figure out how to move on with my life, a life without my friends in Wolfcrest. I didn't know if they were alive and I never had the heart to ask anyone at home about it for fear the answer would be a big, fat "no." After losing two parents and a best friend, that was all I could handle. Vampires turning off their humanity is a lie. At least, I wasn't able to do it. Every time I thought about anything, somehow the train of thought would link back to them and they'd get squashed on the tracks.

Silence fell upon the room as they all calculated. Ian and Ben thought I was crazy. Cal and Damon thought I was brilliant, but they were wondering how long it would take for him to come to us to retrieve his sister. They weren't exactly helping the humans' definition of vampire right now. Anyone hearing their thoughts, like Ben and I, would call them heartless. They weren't trying to be heartless, only rational. Sometimes, in wars, there are casualties but it's all for the greater good. The way I thought of it was that vampires—like the Morettis—were like kings and queens. Sometimes things happened and they needed to protect their own but at a cost. But when those lives were lost, everyone else looks to them and calls it hatred and power-hungry blindness. They're just misunderstood creatures who have never had the benefit of the doubt from anyone. Except for me.

"I like it," exclaimed my husband with a smile. He kissed my forehead and leaned back, at ease.

"You're nuts," said Ben, shaking his head with disappointment. _You've gone to the dark side._

I wanted to punch him. _No I have not! I just don't know what else there is to do. I'm good with anything else you're willing to spring up but, for now, this is our only option._

Deep down, I could see that he understood where I was coming from, but he wished that there _was_ something else that could be done. He just wanted to blame someone for our current predicament.

"Hey, watch it. You're talking to my wife, buddy."

Everyone stared at me again, this time Damon was also a spectacle worth pondering over.

_WHAT?!_

_I knew that already._

_Really? I didn't think that would happen so soon._

I patted his knee. "It's okay, he doesn't mean it in a bad way," I reassured him with a kiss, trying to keep him under wraps.

"When did that happen?" Cal made it sound like a tragedy.

I showed everyone the ring and beamed. "Two days ago. Saturday. It would have been sooner but we had to wait for all of the paperwork and stuff to go through."

"Holy mother of God. Look at that thing," commented Ben. "It's huge!" _I'm sure that makes you happy, now, doesn't it._

_Not more so than before, Fillmore._

_Anastasia!_

_Fillmore!_

_Anastasia!_

_Fillmore! _I sent happy vibes along with the words and smiled, though everyone assumed it was because I was proud of the ring. I did love the ring and was proud of what it stood for, but they were wrong.

"Mother's diamond poinsettia? Where did you get that?" _Last time I remembered, she was buried with it._ Well that was a pretty thought.

_Thanks, Cal._ "She entrusted it to me when Guinevere came to town. She was hoping that, whoever I ended up falling in love with, I would give it to them and let it be a symbol of the same kind of blooming love that her and father shared." His mind went back to the moment that this had happened.

He was about a year younger than the age that was showing on his face now. Guinevere had literally gotten into town that day, wearing her golden dress, her brown ringlets hidden under an Italian sunhat of some kind. The moment his human eyes had beheld her, he was almost positive that they were destined to be together. Almost.

That night, his mother took him aside after dinner and took off her ring, placing it at the center of the small end table that sat between them. "Damon, my darling boy. You have reached an age where your father and I know has aided you well, that has made you mature enough to have want of a wife." She gently pointed to the ring in the delicate manner that befit a proper lady of the Colonial era. "All I ask is, when you have found your one true love, give her this and remember me. Nothing less than a soul mate, than true love. Am I understood?"

His mother was not a woman to be trifled with. Rosalinda Moretti was a caring woman and sweet in most of her day to day comings and goings. But when she entrusted someone with a duty, she expected it to be followed to the letter, for her expectations were few and far between. This was nothing like his father, Torvald, the strict, selfish man.

"Yes, mother, I understand." He placed the ring back in her hand, adding the pressure of a son's affection. "When I find her, Mother, I will give her your ring and all the love in the world. I swear to you."

After he was turned and watched the love that he thought was true perish by his brother's hands, he thought he had lost the right to bestow the symbol upon any woman for the rest of his eternal life. But then he found me. He was drawn to my house several times, thinking that it was for all of the wrong reasons. But then he returned when he found out his brother was in love and sought to have me for himself. At first, he thought it was because his brother wanted me that he found he did also. The time spent between us proved him wrong. Remembering the vow he made to his mother, he had found the ring I wore now and made sure that her dying wish was kept.

I wanted to cry when I realized the pain that went behind that ring. He had never had those thoughts about that day until now. He had never wanted me to see that, but it couldn't be avoided.

We had to speak alone. I felt like there were never enough hours in the day to say everything that I wanted to say to him and wished that I could do with him what Ben could do with me. I desired more than anything to be able to push my thoughts onto him so he could know my immediate thoughts as well as he knew my general mind.

"Well, I think we should go but hopefully we'll figure out this Alphaeus business in the morning." I got up and gave Ben a hug, a thing that I had not been able to do until now, despite my efforts.

The second that we touched, his mind was closed to me as if there was something flashing through him that I wasn't allowed to see. He pulled away from me with wide eyes. "Can we speak alone?"


	3. Chapter 3: Reacquainted

Chapter Three:

Reacquainted

Ben and I ventured upstairs to the very top where Cal's room was located, the only room in the house that was sound-proofed against vampire hearing. As we entered, he quickly closed and locked the door before he collapsed to the ground.

I dropped down to his level and shook him with human force. "Ben. Ben! Are you okay? What's going on?"

_Too weak to move… Pull me over there…_ He pictured the bed in his mind.

I nodded, scooped him up, and delicately placed him under the covers. "Are you sick? Tell me what I need to do to help you!"

_Just let me rest for a minute_, he asked.

I lied down on the bed beside my best friend and brother—in all definitions of the term but one—and felt his forehead. He was burning up, almost searing my skin. I hadn't had my hot cocoa today to help acclimate my body temperature which could have contributed to this but he was definitely ill.

An hour passed and he still hadn't woken up. I got up and went to leave, opening the door, but he stopped me.

_Don't leave me alone. We still have to talk._

I shut and relocked my way out and returned to my place by his side. For that one second that I'd had the door open, I could feel Damon shooting questioning thoughts my way. _Is everything okay? I don't want to break my promise. I told you I would never leave you again and I don't mean to._

Once again, I hoped for the ability to reciprocate my thoughts back to him. _Yes, everything is okay. We're just talking. _No secrets, whether he could hear me or not.

Lying down beside Ben for a second time, I waited for the poor, brotherly man of mine to recover. I didn't have to wait much longer for him to sit up and face me.

_What did you see, Ben?_

He tried to replay the image in his mind but something was preventing him, so he decided to describe it to me out loud instead. It was almost like he was in a trance. "Like a plague, it sweeps over mankind. The dawn arrives and still none can escape it. The great darkness. It's coming. Many will die in the coming days. Many will be lost and few will know of it. The great darkness." It was kind of creepy seeing him like that. This sort of thing had never happened to him before.

"I've seen that too. I had a dream about it the other night. An abysmal smog invading a mountainside… Chasing me." I thought about how I had abandoned Damon, not truly caring where he was as I ran for my life. The regret that filled me was unimaginable, even though it was just a dream.

He wrapped his arms around me comfortingly. "It's okay, Evie. It never happened so you have nothing to feel guilty about."

I patted his arm reassuringly and leaned up against the headboard. "What does it mean? What is the great darkness?" My feelings weren't important right now; we had things to do.

"I don't know but, to me, it doesn't sound like we're dealing with a 'what.'" He glanced down at my confused expression and continued. "I think we're dealing with a 'who.'"

"Could it be Alphaeus?" The Original was the only person of note that our group knew about.

"No, I think it's more than that. I don't know. I can't quite pinpoint what the spirits are talking about. All I know is that, whatever it is, it's big and it's coming."

I glanced down at my stomach. Someone was coming. What would happen to my baby?

"A baby?" Ben exclaimed in shock. "What baby?"

A smile adorned my face and I lifted my shirt, just high enough to show the tiny bulge where the fetus was growing.

_How long have you been…?_

"About a week," I replied aloud.

"A week?" he repeated more loudly. "Hold on… I'm a little confused. How can this happen?"

My mind wandered to the night that _it_ happened, despite my efforts to describe what happened with words instead of images.

"If you don't mind, try to keep the gross factor down to a minimum, Mrs. Moretti." Ben wasn't about to let that one go. He sat back as I had and put his arms behind his head. "So, what you're telling me without telling me is that _you_ did this?"

"Yup," I beamed. "Isn't it great?"

He stared down at me. "Would you mind telling me how? And please skip the gory details. I already filled my quota of weird and disgusting for today."

A blush pink color soaked into the surface layers of my cheeks. "Sorry." _It's not like I can control it._

"Yes you can. Now, if you don't mind, could you please hurry? I'm getting impatient over here."

_I'd say…_ "I don't know exactly how I did it, but Damon seems to think that when we… you know, I was somehow able to focus so much on it because of my emotions that my powers gave me what I wanted. I was so concentrated on that thought that it just happened. A few days later, I woke up and I got sick." The memory came rushing back and I didn't care to bridle it.

"_What's the point of being a vampire if I still catch the flu?" I complained, falling hard on the bed beside my fiancé._

_Damon propped himself up on his elbow and focused his eyes on my stomach. Without a word, he laid his head on my belly and sat perfectly still for a minute. _A heartbeat.

_My eyes blinked. "A heartbeat? What do you mean a heartbeat?"_

"_Shh! Listen." He let his mind absorb the sounds that he was hearing, allowing me to almost take a step into his shoes._

_My brown eyes grew wide, matching the look on his face exactly. We both glanced at each other at the same exact time and smiles spread across our lips. "We're gonna have a baby!" We shouted, bouncing up and down on the bed like a couple of preteens._

"Huh."

I blinked. "That's it? I am impossibly pregnant and all you have to say is 'huh?' What kind of messed up friend are you?"

He sat there, unmoving. His muscles froze and tensed along his bones, his mind flashing through all of the contemplations that he needed to work through. Most of it, if not all, centered on my baby and almost all of them were questions. _Is it healthy? What does this mean? How did it really happen exactly? Is this even truly possible? Damon and Evie and a baby? What?! Wow. Hmm… Is it human?_

"I think so," I commented. "She appears to be human. Damon heard a heartbeat."

"It's a she?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just hate calling my baby an 'it.' Might as well pick a gender and make her seem more real." Sometimes it was hard for me to remember that I wasn't in a dream and everything around me was reality.

Ben continued to stare off at something on the other side of the room and commenced a rhythmic system of banging the back of his head against the headboard.

My ocular orbs were glued to my peculiar surrogate relative. _What on earth are you doing?_

"Thinking."

I poked him in the arm and accidentally shot a spark out of my finger and into the pores of his skin.

"Ow! What the hell?" His eyes widened. "Oh my holy mother of God. Did you just—? Are you a—?" _Witch?_

"Yupper." I gave him access to the memory of me levitating the lamp when Damon and I had first reconnected.

"Oh my holy Moses!" He hugged me close to him to the point where, if I was still human, I wouldn't have been able to breathe. "Since when?! How did that—?"

My thoughts answered his questions with images while I described it verbally. "During the turning ceremony, Cerebella had you incant some sort of ancient spell and made you forget. I don't really know the physics of it but, from what I've seen, I believe she had you copy and transfer a set of your powers to me while I was being converted. Normally, a witch loses her powers the moment she awakes from being turned. The Originals must have had a need of someone who could have both magic and vampire blood." Whatever their reasoning, I doubted we were going to find out any time soon.

_Can you hear me when I'm not projecting my thoughts?_

_Yup._

"Weird," he remarked. "This is going to take some getting used to. That and the fact that you're able to carry me."

_Sorry about that. Just trying to help._

He glanced down at my swollen belly, more noticeable now that he knew it was there, and grimaced. "Evie, you gotta be more careful now that you have more supernatural responsibilities."

I replayed Damon's little speech in my cerebral cortex. _He stopped us from jumping and held my gaze. "Evie, you gotta be careful. We don't want something bad to happen because you can't control your powers. Now that we're going to have a baby, you have to be twice as careful. Some of your magic may have side effects we don't know about."_

Ben shook his head frantically. "No, Evie. It's so much more than that. I've still been going to Grandma Rose's house every weekend and we've talked a lot about the rules of the universe, both physical and spiritual. Every spell used by a witch or warlock has its consequences and, while they're not always bad, they're rarely good. Next time you wish too deeply for something, you might just get it and you might not like what you find. So, promise me that you'll be more careful." His face was completely serious, somber almost.

"I promise. I'm sorry. I didn't know." If everything had a consequence, what would happen when the baby was born?

_I don't know, Evie. I'm sorry. Please be aware that this might not end well._

I nodded. Somewhere in the back of my head, something more pressing was moved to the forefront: I was being rude again like I often was when I was human. I was too absorbed in my problems to consider that Ben had things about his life that I should have wanted to discuss. "How have you been? Not overdoing it I hope?" I felt his forehead again and checked for any damage.

Irritated by my babying, he shied away from my hand. "No, I'm fine."

_Liar. I can read your thoughts, Fillmore._

_Anastasia!_

_Fillmore!_

He sighed, collapsing his body until it was parallel to the mattress once again. "It's been weird without having you here. Every time I looked into Cerebella's eyes as I checked up on her to make sure she was still inside, the thought that she was the reason you were gone kept coming back to me. I suppose it's my fault, too. I should have known something like that was going to happen and ingested some valerian. You'd think I would have learned that kind of stuff by then." _I was supposed to help protect you._

I lowered myself down to his level and snuggled up against his side. "It's not your fault, Ben. I should have worried more about the coming danger than I did. Damon warned me but I didn't listen. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine." I smiled as I looked up at his face. "I missed you, too."

In a flash of contentment, he gave me a squeeze and sighed again with relief. _At least I have an eye on you now. Next time you leave, I expect a written and verbal goodbye and an advanced notice. If you ever so much as think about leaving without telling me, I will find you, tie you up with the most painful substance I can find and throw you into the pond. Got it?_

_Got it_, I beamed.

_Good._ Without any warning, he wrapped his arm around my neck and gave me the longest noogie I have ever had the displeasure of receiving from him.

"Hey! Quit it!"

"Not a chance!"

"BENJAMIN FILLMORE! GET YOUR LOUSY MITTS OUTTA MY HAIR!"

He raised his arms and sat up with a hint of a smile hiding behind the corners of his lips. "Alright, grouchy pants. Calm your hormones down and let's get a move on before Damon comes up here and murders me for wrongful abduction." He hopped down from the bed and left the room, knowing that I would be only seconds behind him.

Exasperated, I did just that—after fixing my now extremely messy hair—and returned with Ben to the sitting room.

Damon took one look at my still somewhat messed up hairdo and Ben's rumpled clothes and assumed the worst. _You wouldn't!_

I was determined to prove him right. I crossed the room, wrapped my arms tightly around his strong but slender neck, and pressed my lips to his. Even with our audience watching our every move, I held nothing back.

_Okay, I get it_, he commented in defeat. _You really wouldn't_. He placed his hand gently around the side of my neck, his thumb gliding back and forth across my cheek.

When we pulled away, I whispered softly enough that not even Cal could hear me. "And don't you forget it." As I peered around the room, the expressions were the same and yet varying. All complexions contained levels of disgust but the levels and the reasons behind the faces were different. Ben was revolted at the thought of me and him "in bed" together. The mere mention of the twinkling of the idea made him want to vomit, and understandably, too. Cal was shocked that we would really do that right there in front of everybody, primarily and most importantly him. In a way, it kind of hurt his feelings. Ian was absolutely appalled as he thought of me as a part of his family. He was still kind of hoping that I thought boys were "icky." At the same time, their brainwaves spurted out the word "baby" a few times. Damon must have told the other two while I was out of sight.

My husband's arm coiled around me like a boa constrictor. "If you'll excuse us, Evie has to get some rest."

"But I'm not tired."

Our eyes met and his seemed to insist even more so than his words. "Evie, you have to sleep. We've been traveling all day and you need plenty of rest or you'll hurt the baby." _Plus, you were nodding off earlier. You can't fool me._

Of course. I'd hurt the baby, the sweet child that he would die without. "Fine. For her sake, I'll go to sleep, but I'm warning you. If you guys talk about important stuff while I'm out of the room, I will personally drag you all the way to New York City and hang you from the top of the Empire State Building by your big toes." With those words, I made my gradual ascent up the stairs and eventually out of sight.

"It's a girl?" asked Cal inquisitively. _Isn't it a bit soon to tell?_

Ben was happy to clarify for me. "She hates calling the baby an 'it' and decided that, when referring to the baby, she would call her a 'she' instead."

My brother-in-law blinked a few times as if that would help the words sink into his brain better. "Ah huh." _Nope. Still don't get it. Must be a pregnant woman thing._

As Damon came running after me, Ian remarked, "You two behave yourselves." I kind of wanted to turn back so I could slap him for the spiteful quip. He had no right poking into my personal business even if it was all for the sake of a pointless joke.

Instead, I continued across the hallway that was still within the others' fields of view and entered Damon's bedroom.

I hadn't been in there since the day we first kissed. Nothing had changed whatsoever. Every candle and bottle of scotch was placed in exactly the same way as before. No one had entered and the smell of apples filled the room from the last time the candles were lit. It was as if the room had been locked in a sort of time bubble where it was eleven o'clock at night on that day in March forever, unchanging.

As if by habit, I flung myself onto the bed and took in a deep breath before I let it out slowly and stared up at the ceiling. I was soon joined by my husband who was determined on gaining my full attention. But I didn't want to play his silly games right now. Someone else was on my mind and all I wanted to do was sleep and dream about a time when that face was all I used to see. Not just yet, though.

Damon made a few more attempts, kissing my neck and tracing the length of my arm with his nimble fingertips. Whatever he did, it didn't work on me. No matter how much I wanted to give in, there was something I needed to do that this would get in the way of. Of course, that didn't mean that it didn't take some effort to avoid falling for his advances.

Once I was more than positive that he was asleep, I tiptoed out of bed and raced down the hall, down the stairs, and out the front door at top speed into the midnight air. Not even Damon could catch me. Thanks to the ceremony Alphaeus had felt inclined to perform, I was three times better at everything than normal vampires were. I was faster, quieter, more flexible, stronger, and I had a better hold on my hunger—but that part was more due to the help of the special enchantment boost that Ben cast over my daylight ring. Either way, I was able to make it out of the house without alerting anyone that I had left.

My destination was reached within seconds. The moment that I touched the edge of the yard, I slowed down to a human's walking speed and climbed up the delicate maple tree at the side of the house. It had never been meant for climbing and the trunk was hardly thicker than my thigh but I was able to reach the top to the second floor window without any hassle. I knew I couldn't go inside the house without a human's permission, so I didn't even bother trying to open it. I had long since lost the right to gain entry. If I made an effort to step through, I would only get pushed back by the invisible force field that obstructed all vampires from entering and it would make the smallest part that was left of my humanity shrivel up and die.

Through the window, I could see her. My Aunt Fauna had just gotten ready to go to sleep and she was sitting in bed, reading another gooey, romance novel—her favorite. Ian entered the room and crawled in next to her under the covers. They really were cute together and I was glad that she had found someone after all this time that deserved her. Ian was a nice guy and he cared about her and me as if we were his family. With no one else left of his relatives, we were all he had.

"Fauna," he said before he kissed her cheek. "You've been reading for an hour. Why don't you put it away and let's go to sleep."

"I can't! Lila just told Billy about her secret identity! It's getting really good," she complained.

He continued to persuade her with kisses.

I could hear her heartbeat speeding up. "Okay, okay! Let me just finish this chapter."

Soon, the two of them were asleep. Their dreamlands were open to me like watching a movie in my mind. I closed my eyes and sat back against the thin trunk, letting Aunt Fauna take me through her dreams.

She began with a ridiculous opening, standing on top of the hula-hoop-sized world like those really freaky pictures I used to see in kindergarten with the different races of cartoon children holding hands in a circle. Then she popped into a more realistic place and I almost couldn't bear the sight of it.

Fauna was cooking dinner—obviously, this was the surreal aspect of her dream because she hardly ever cooked—and I entered the room behind her.

"Hey, Aunt Fauna," I called to her as I took a seat around the counter in the center of the kitchen and took a noodle from the strainer of spaghetti in front of me. "Guess what!"

"You decided high school was boring and you quit?"

I chuckled. "I wish, but no. Tara and I scored tickets to the amusement park off the radio to see my favorite band in concert. Ben, Tara, and I are going this weekend. Is that okay?"

She gently stirred the pasta sauce and set the spoon down beside the pot. "Sounds fine to me." She sat down across from me and snuck a noodle that she quickly slurped down her throat. "Wait, I'm supposed to be the responsible, overprotective guardian. Don't do drugs, stay in school, don't party too hard, and try not to kiss every boy that you meet or you'll end up pregnant and alone for the rest of your life." She grinned. "How did I do?"

I waved a noodle in her face and giggled. "Nice job. I almost believed you this time."

This was a memory. I was in the middle of my freshman year at Wolfcrest High, before Tara was dating Charlie and Ben had Molly, when it was just the three of us and things were simple. Those were the good old days.

Tears rushed to my eyes and overwhelmed me as I sat on the limb of that midget of a maple. For the first time in a while, I felt the pain of death in my once beating heart. I understood how fleeting life was and how one moment you could be human and enjoying a simple batch of over cooked spaghetti with your aunt and the next you were dead without ever being able to see her again. Even if I could step inside, I wasn't allowed to speak to her or let her see me. The whole town thought I was dead and we had to keep it that way for my protection. One day, they would all be gone and I would be seventeen still while their successors pointed and hid from me for fear that I was an immortal, harmful thing that they needed to be rid of. It was safer for me to just stay dead.

Arms wrapped around me and I opened my eyes to find myself embraced by the man I loved as we stood on the grass below. "Evie, it's okay. It's alright. Everything is alright."

I pushed him away and hugged my arms close to me. "No it's not, Damon. It's never going to be okay. I can't even talk to my own flesh and blood because I don't age. What does it matter anyway? It's not like she will know just by looking at me. It's hardly even been half a year. Why can't I see her? It's not fair." My sobs were even more uncontrollable than before. (I imagine much of this was due to an imbalance of hormones, heightened by my vampire genes. That's something that the Moretti boys would say.) These didn't seem like my words.

Against my will, he brought me closer to him and held my head under his chin. "Sometimes life is just give and take. We can't have good things without a little bad mixed in every once in a while. Nothing is ever perfect, as much as we hope it to be otherwise." Once the tears stopped falling, he stepped back and took my hand. "Let's get you back in bed."

I nodded and sprinted back to Moretti Manor with him alongside me. He hated the fact that I was "overdoing it" but it was a necessary action he was going to have to get over. We got into bed and I cuddled close into his side for fear that I would lose it again. I couldn't risk another hormonal water explosion. The next time that happened, I'd probably fill the room with tears like they did in the movie _Alice in Wonderland_.

"You shouldn't have gone, Evie. It's not safe for you to be out there in the open. What if something had happened to you before I could get to you?" Damon twisted his fingers through my hair as he spoke.

"Then I would have probably died and we wouldn't be having this conversation." I looked up at him, smiled, and closed my eyes. "Now go to sleep. We'll have plenty of time to talk in the morning."

_Sure… I love you, Mrs. Moretti._

"I love you, too," I breathed into his chest. Between him and a handful of friends, I had very few people in my life left to love, kind of like Ian, and a huge chunk of those feelings encompassed themselves around Damon. You would think that I had been sad because I was lonely, but I had all of the people I could ever need.


	4. Chapter 4: Strategy

Chapter Four:

Strategy

From the second that I awoke, I was asked to change and was quickly escorted downstairs to the covert-ops vampire think tank. I didn't get a chance to wake up and properly go through my daily routine, rushed into a state of complex brainstorming that normally would not and could notbe attempted at this hour in the day.

Damon handed me a cup of creamy hot chocolate as I got comfortable on the smaller of the two couches and curled up into a ball. My purple long-sleeve shirt made it easy to see my ever rounding stomached and self-conscious feelings were gnawing at my mind. This was really all I could do to hide the bump from the others.

"Nice of you to join us," scoffed Cal who was huddled next to Ian and Ben, already into a deep discussion that was interrupted by our arrival. _If you didn't spend so much time fooling around, we'd probably get some stuff done around here._

"Glad to be of assistance," replied Damon in a similar tone. _Stop thinking about my wife. I see you checking her out, you damn pervert._

Ben read the two of them and understood the true argument at hand. "We were just working on a game plan. So far, we don't have much."

"Hey!" complained Ian. "I thought my bomber idea was solid!"

"Only you would think that was a good idea." Ben chucked a pillow at him and flopped onto the couch beside me. "We can't just go all willy nilly and blow up the only thing that is keeping us alive. If Alphaeus finds out what we did, he'll kill us before we have the chance to figure out a phase two."

Ian sat down across from us and folded his arms, agitated. "Well, why don't you do something witchy? Isn't that what you're here for?"

My friend rolled his eyes as if the answer was sitting right in front of his dimwitted companion. "Yes, because after all of this time it didn't occur to me that I could use my powers to make Alphaeus magically appear. You're a genius, Ian. What would we do without you?"

The two remained quiet as they exchanged stubborn, sarcastic looks.

Damon took that as his cue to interject. "I still like Evie's plan the best. Let's wait for him to come to us in his own time. Between the four of us"—he gestured to all the males in the group—"we gotta have enough connections to get some sort of a warning before he knocks on our door." He searched their faces for some sort of response, but found nothing. "Right?"

"Ian's right," Cal countered. "Ben, can you do anything? Can't you do that tracking spell that you used to find Damon?"

Ben pressed his fingertips to his temples with a deep sigh. _It's like they're not even listening to me. _"Like I said, I've already ruled out magic as an option. I can't track Alphaeus down without something that either belonged to him or is a part of him and, right now, the only thing that we have that could be of any use is downstairs protected by a force field. Even if I could take it down long enough for someone to get inside, there is no way of telling whether or not we can get Cerebella to stay inside and not kill whoever goes in there. Besides, it took me a week of chanting and heavy-duty mind power to put that stupid thing up. I'm not about to take it down any time soon." _Kapeesh_?

_What if I help? Would that make it any easier?_

His head slowly turned until I could see the whites of his eyes and the stern look that he gave me, a look of concentration. _I… I don't know. It would be too dangerous and you know how Damon feels about you using magic right now. He's right. It could have a side effect on the baby._

_But I want to help! I hate sitting here, feeling like I'm merely the cheerleader on the sidelines wishing and praying that you guys will get another victory. It's not good enough!_

_No, Evie. We will go with your plan and wait here for Alphaeus to come back and attempt to spring his sister from the clink. He'll be back for her._

I pondered that for a moment. _How could you be so sure? I didn't come back for you guys and I love you more than anything else. It's hard to believe that someone so evil is capable of even enough love to save his sister._

_If you think about it, there is no one else left in the world that could have the patience enough to love him like his sister does. He has to care about what happens to her at the very least. When I was reading his thoughts at the ceremony, he often thought about their time together growing up and their long existence since then. Right from the start, at the very beginning of all creation, it was only ever just the two of them and nobody else. If she was in trouble, he'd help her. He wouldn't throw that all away now because of a few puny urchins._

_I suppose you're right. It would be hard to leave the only love that you've ever known behind._

I saw him look about and his face grew blank. When I turned to see what he was seeing, I'm sure mine did as well. Everyone was staring at us.

"Would you mind having your conversation aloud, please?" asked my agitated husband as he took his place by my feet, latching onto my leg like an over possessive child with his toy.

I nonchalantly took a sip of my hot chocolate and sat back into a more comfortable position. "Sorry… We were just reevaluating our options. I was wondering if it would do any good if I helped keep the barrier down so one of us could get passed the—"

Damon twisted his torso around so he could peer up at me. "Let me stop you right there. There is no way in hell I am letting you do that. It's too dangerous and we don't know what kind of repercussions it could have on the baby." _So help me, Evie. It's like you're trying to give me an aneurism._

Ian raised his hand, the teacher now becoming the student. "Excuse me. How could you possibly help with that? You need magic to do that, don't you? Otherwise Cal or I would gladly help with the force field thing." _Evie with magic? That's preposterous. Vampires can't have magic. It's against the laws of nature. Isn't it? I'm almost positive._

"Yeah, I have magic, Ian. After that weird ceremony in the backyard, all of Ben's powers were duplicated and given to me. I could bring the barrier down and Ben could use one of his anti-gravity spells on Cerebella or something while one of you grabs enough of her blood to make a tracking spell work. No one would get stuck inside or get hurt." It was a better idea than getting slaughtered because we had no idea Alphaeus was back in action. I'd rather have Ben be constantly able to track his location than get a surprise attack.

Cal rose from his leaning position, removing his elbow from on top of his knee, and nodded. "That could work. Why don't we do that?"

"No," Damon repeated. "I'm not risking damage to my wife and future child because you guys want to nab a pint from the vampire mistress in the cage. I'd rather die."

_Good, because you're probably going to without it_, thought Cal hopefully. What could have possibly driven him to such a bad temper for his brother? I refused to believe that the reason could be simply put into one word. It had to be something more potent than that.

_It's not_, Ben contradicted. _Way to go, Evie. You broke up the wonder twins._

I restrained myself from socking him in the arm and took another sip of cocoa. My fate had been decided for me and I didn't even get a say in the matter. I would take the news as stoically as I could. The effect their decision had on me could not be common knowledge for the others or there would be a riot on our hands.

Silence fell and eventually Ian brought his messenger bag from the floor onto his lap and lifted the flap. "Well, I'm bored. Let's get some answers outta this dumb Original while I'm still kickin'." He got up and headed for the basement stairs.

As I understood the long debate that was about to take place in the living room, I set down my mug and followed him out. "I'll join you." It didn't take long for the three boys to start arguing. We had barely reached the stairs.

"Damon, it's a good idea. Besides, we don't know if anything is going to happen to the kid. We don't even know if it's necessarily harmful for it," stated Cal in a fit of pure boredom. He had nothing better to do than dispute his case.

"There shouldn't be," commented Ben. "Not unless a spell was directed at the baby would it ever have an effect on her."

"You don't know that. You couldn't possibly know that. Have you ever had a baby that would be exposed to something like this?" The absence of sound confirmed his statement. "I didn't think so."

"Still, Damon," Cal began. "She's one of our only options to getting a leg up on the Originals issue. She's an asset, not a liability." I agreed fervently with him for what seemed to be the first time in a while.

He refused to see reason. "No," he repeated again. "Unless one of you is able to give me rock solid proof that this…whatever it is can be done without jeopardizing either my wife or my child's safety, I can't let this happen. It's not a risk I'm willing to take." _Sorry, Evie._ He knew I was listening and he didn't want me to get the wrong idea. _It's not that I don't want you to help, but I can't risk you getting caught in the crossfire. If you can so easily create life, what about taking it away? You might not even know you're doing it._ Like me, he saw the being growing inside of me as a miracle that was too good to lose.

_I understand_, I thought, still hoping that he could hear me. Without changing my expression, I continued down the ominous corridor to the cell where the Morettis used to put each other when they were getting out of control. Now, Cerebella—formally known as Xavia—inhabited the cell against her will, pacing along the wall farthest from the door. _Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Need to feed. Need to eat. Must quench my thirst. Must feel the hot, dripping, running lovely touch my tongue. Gotta lick my lips and stick my fangs in…_ She snapped her head towards the door and sped for it. In an instant, she rammed herself into the invisible force field and flew backward against the wall she had been frantically familiarizing herself with only seconds ago.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" From experience, I knew the jolting, falling sensation and the painful landing that followed. I'm not sure what forced me to utter such cold, unfeeling words as this but it almost shocked me.

Ian was a bit stunned as well. "Anyway, we have a few questions for you."

Cerebella rubbed her backside and came as close to the edge of the barrier as she dare go. "Why should I answer your silly questions, sugar?" _If it wasn't for this flimsy bubble, I'd have already ripped your throat out._

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. We're familiar with the 'I would've eaten you already' bit." I'd heard it dozens of times.

"How did you—?" She grinned as the answer came to her. "So the handsome, ginger cat's a mind reader, huh? I guess Al and I got more than we bargained for."

Out of spite, Ian threw one of the valerian grenades from his bag at the mouthy flapper woman and had me step back to avoid the shrapnel. He kept forgetting that I was immortal. A lousy piece of debris wasn't going to kill me. However, the valerian would burn…a lot. I hadn't had the misfortune of feeling that kind of pain just yet and I wasn't looking forward to it. It could wait for another day.

As the grenade exploded in mid-air, the liquid valerian sprayed all over the cell, coating the floor and walls with its harmful stench. The majority of it landed on the Original who screamed as her skin fizzled. The valerian slowly burned away her top layers of dermis to reveal medium-sized splotches of blood and damaged skin. The sizzling sound continued as she cried for relief from the agony.

"Ooh. Is someone screaming?" Damon sang as he skipped down the steps to join our party. Once he was close enough, he kissed my cheek and coiled his arm around me.

"Yes, dear. We're just interrogating the prisoner. Same old, same old." I kept my eyes on Cerebella as her skin rapidly healed back to normal.

She squirmed as the last pieces of flesh repaired themselves. Profanities of various sorts followed.

"Stakes can't kill you," stated Ian. "But there must be something that can. Tell us or I'll increase the pressure and make sure that the time it takes for you to heal yourself triplicates." Seconds passed without an answer. He prepared to throw another valerian grenade and was about to toss it through the bars in the cell door but stopped to hear the pleas of his victim.

"Wait!" Once she realized he was doing just that, she composed herself and began. "Werewolves. Stakes can't kill us and valerian isn't deadly but the one thing that can kill us is a bite from a werewolf."

Ian looked back at me for confirmation that it was true and put the pin back in place on the grenade. "Looks like your story checks out. What about your brother? What is he up to? Why does he want to raise an army?" That was one of the only things that we were sure of, thanks to Cal being evil and all. He was clued into some of the basic frameworks of the diabolical plan but nothing major. It was as if Alphaeus knew we would be able to claim our friend back.

This time she seemed more hesitant to give up the information we sought. "I don't know. All my brother told me was that we were going to create a vampire witch. He only stumbled across this braud by accident. He figured that, because the compass pointed to her while she was human, she was destined to have a greater potential after she was turned. He claimed she would be the perfect candidate for the special transformation. But he never explained the purpose of any of them, only that he wanted an army. None of the specifics were ever shelled out. I have faith in my brother." She glanced at Damon. "Do you?"

Damon didn't know what to say. That was a pretty fuzzy subject at the moment.

Out of pure angst, I grabbed the grenade from Ian's hand and chucked it through the bars into the cell.

More earsplitting cries and cursing were spat in my direction as I returned to my husband's side in comfort. He was going to be okay, even if it meant allowing for a few necessary risks along the way.

Given time and enough strength, Cerebella reached the edge of the force field and hissed, "My brother will return for me. Mark my words. You will rue the day you kept me as a prisoner, your childish whirligig."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna wish you never stepped foot in Wolfcrest after we're through with you." Damon smirked and rubbed my arms soothingly. "Let's go," he stated as he led me upstairs. "You coming, Ian?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Before he came with us, I heard him grab something from his bag—another explosive. He pulled the pin and tossed it to Cerebella like a father would toss a baseball to his child. If I wasn't mistaken, he almost seemed bored.

Damon, Ian, and I joined the other two in the living room and sat down.

"Werewolves." Damon let the word roll off his tongue like he was trying to sense the taste of the word in his mouth. Then he looked to me to see the reaction on my face, realizing only too late that it would have an impact on my soul, however inhuman it may be. As the single teardrop fell from my eye, he embraced me and apologized. _I'm sorry. I know what you're thinking and I'm so, so sorry._

My head shook as I violently fought back what emotions I had to repress to stay levelheaded. "It's okay. You're not the one that killed her." In my field of view, I saw Tara's killer and it made me so furious that I wanted to rip his limbs off, piece by piece. What kind of person was I becoming? Was this part of the whole pregnancy hormone thing? Could that even happen to a vampire?

I remembered Damon telling me once that our bodies weren't that far away from functioning like a human's as long as we had their blood in our systems. All we had to do was feed to keep tricking our bodies into working properly. As long as I continued to drink human blood, my body could respond like any other pregnant mother at my age.

In the back of my mind, a twinge of guilt spread through me. _You killed Tara. It was you who did this. You sunk your teeth into the nape of her furry, werewolf neck and you drank every last drop of her blood as if she meant nothing to you._

For the second time, I wanted to run and never stop. I wanted to leave my feelings where I sat and disappear like a flash of lightning to distance myself from them.

Damon sensed my distress and continued to comfort me to the best of his abilities. We would have to speak later.

"Werewolves, huh?" Ben chuckled. "Figures. There are probably other ways, but if this is the only one we know about, we're going to have to roll with it. Do we know of any packs nearby?"

Cal spoke up. "I'd imagine there's one in the area. That clan of vampires we met in the mountains—"

Ian interrupted, "I believe we said 'werewolves,' not 'vampires.'"

Cal glared at the man, communicating through vibrations in the air that if he didn't shut up, he was going to end up at the bottom of a lake, swimming with the fishes, as it were. "As I was saying, there were at least eight of them. They could easily take out every townsperson in Wolfcrest."

"Which makes you wonder what's been keeping them away." The eldest Moretti said it as though he should have seen it all along.

"Exactly," his brother granted. "There's probably been a pack of werewolves preventing them from leaving the hills for a while, if the council had only caught wind of vampire activity after we came to town." He motioned between himself and the family member to whom he was referring.

"Yeah, but what are you gonna do?" asked Ben. "Werewolves were born predators to you guys. Remember? That whole 'a dingo ate my baby' routine? Your dealings go south and one bite will put you out of your misery."

"Great," smiled Damon. "You've just volunteered for werewolf hunting duty. Go recruit us some mangy strays and we'll work on fortifying the house. We need to make sure that, no matter what happens, every single one of us gets out of here alive. It doesn't matter what it takes." He stood, getting caught up in the moment. "When Al decides to poke out his scrawny little head, we'll make sure he has no idea what hit him." Twisting around, he turned his attention to me. "As for you, my love, you are staying here. You are in no condition to be doing anything vigorous." _Almost anything_, he added mentally with a flavor of classic Damon sprinkled in his tone of mind.

My old French teacher would have punched my husband in his immortal face if he'd known the thoughts that had been vibrating around in his strange, complex, adorably ornate head of his. As it was, Ben was inches away from using a neat trick Grandma Rose taught him a month ago. He'd been itching to practice it on someone. Ian got up and put on his jacket. "I don't know about you guys, but I have to get back before Fauna realizes I'm gone. She'd kill me if I ditched her on Christmas."

Ben followed his motions. "I gotta go, too. Me and my parents have plans and, no offense, but I'd rather spend Christmas with my family than you chuckleheads." His eyes didn't meet my gaze. _Want to come? We could always use a soprano in our caroling party?_

I smirked as I remembered the year prior to this weird supernatural stage of ours. _No, that's okay. I should stay here with Damon._ "Have fun. Tell your parents I—" I stopped myself midsentence. Everyone else in town thought I was dead. A bad excuse for a half-grin reached my face. "Give them extra hugs for me, will you?"

His smile was equally genuine. "I will. Merry Christmas, you guys." He gave me a quick hug and took off with Ian out the door after everyone had returned the holiday sentiment.

Christmas wasn't something that I could really think about with everything that was going on. I had so many different problems and concerns on my mind that Christmas and any other holiday, for that matter, didn't even rank in my top one hundred. With all of the humans gone from the house, there was no one left to keep my head above water on the crazy vampire front. I needed to have people around that weren't biased to my kind of lifestyle. I needed humans who thought about holidays and birthdays and family. Sometimes I felt like that's what I was for Damon, that person who made him remember he was a living man once with more to him than a thirst for blood and that he was still capable of those kinds of emotions.

"Cal and I should get started on tracking down these werewolves. No rest for the wicked." Damon kissed my lips and disappeared from the room. Cal was only seconds behind.

Funny how one minute you can feel like you're surrounded by people who love and care about you and the next they're all gone and you're alone. I stretched out by the antique fireplace and stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't the ceiling I was really seeing though. As I soothingly rubbed the bump on my stomach that meant a new life for me and my husband, I looked to the past and remembered all of those wonderful human moments.

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Evelyn Anastasia Richards who thought that she would grow up to be a writer or the next president of the United States. She was always hanging out with her two normal best friends, Tara Healy and Ben Whitman. For her and her Aunt Fauna, Christmas was always a special time of year. They would curl up on the couch after opening their presents and watch the animated movie about Jack Frost falling in love. It was Evie's favorite because she always imagined she would have that kind of love when she got older. There would be a man out there who would be different from all the others and would love her so much that he would give up his unique lifestyle to be with her.

After watching the movie, the two young women would go to the Whitman's for caroling and a big Christmas dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Whitman, Ben, and the Healy family. The adults would talk about their expectations for the coming year and the young'uns would do what they do best, whatever the heck they wanted.

I smiled as I imagined that girl still existed in me somewhere. I was still capable of everything she was, if not more. But that girl had one thing that I didn't: family. Unlike her, I couldn't spend those meager holidays with the people I cared the most about. They were either busy or they thought I no longer existed… Or they were gone.

No, it was much easier to live in the memories. Like last year around this time when I was with Ben and Tara and Aunt Fauna as usual. I was wearing the hideous red and green sweater that I didn't have the heart to tell Mrs. Healy was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. Gifts from anyone were precious to me and I had no desire to hurt her feelings. This was the reason that, every Christmas after I received it, I wore it to the big family dinner.

Aunt Fauna and I had just arrived at the Whitman's. Before we could even ring the doorbell, Ben opened it and gave each of us a hug prior to rushing us inside away from the cold. Holiday greetings were exchanged, and then Ben and I retreated to the basement. Tara wouldn't be there for a while which gave us plenty of time to talk sports with Mr. Whitman while Aunt Fauna was upstairs with Mrs. W pretending that she was helping with cooking dinner.

Ben and I were always stronger than blood relatives. He was the brother I never had and I was like his little sister, always getting him into trouble. Tara always speculated that it was something more than pure friendship, but this was a bond we knew she would never understand. She and I had been close, the best of friends, but it was different for Ben and me.

Eventually, we were called upstairs to greet the four additions to our party and we'd sit down to dinner. Even after Tara and Ben had their significant others, it was always just our three little families together on Christmas. This was a tradition that had never been spoiled.

There was one Christmas that I remembered better than any other. In the winter of 1999, the year my mother died, I remember how hard it was for me to embrace the holiday spirit. The moment my aunt and I had stepped inside the house, Ben grabbed my hand and brought me up to his room. We sat on the floor by his bed, hidden from view of any who desired to look inside, across from one another. Sitting cross-legged and out of sight, little six year old Ben stared into the eyes of little five year old me and gave me my first kiss without a word.

"You will never be alone, okay, Evie?" he said. "If we grow up and we're not married to anybody, we should get married, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay, Benny." I grinned my near toothless grin and gave him a kiss in return. "We'll never be alone."

My mind always carried this memory. I never could have loved Ben in the way that I love Damon but it made me wonder about a normal life that I probably would have led had the Morettis not come to town that day in September. At the same time, I cringed at the thought. That would mean that the baby I was carrying was the child of me and… Ben. That we were married and probably going to the local community college. To me, that felt like incest but it would have held a promise of normality and humanity. I wouldn't have to constantly worry if my newly acquired magical powers could have a side-effect on my unborn child.

If only life was simple again. That would be the life for me.


	5. Chapter 5: Boxed In

Chapter Five:

Boxed In

Here I was on this beautiful Christmas morning, and I was stuck inside without anybody else to spend time with. Not only that, but I literally wasn't allowed to leave. "Too dangerous," Damon says. For the first time in a while, I wanted to pop that man in the nose. I blamed my new attitude on Wolfcrest. It made me all strange and stuff inside. All of these feelings rushed into my bloodstream like an incurable virus. The sickness made me want to seriously injure everyone in sight. I suppose some credit was due to the fact that my baby was stirring up all sorts of hormones in me, but most of the blame was on the town, not my daughter. She was too tiny to be the cause of anything, let alone her homicidal maniac of a mother.

For lack of company, I stooped down so low as to speak to the only other woman who was crazier than me. I skipped down the stairs without worrying that I would get caught and snagged some contraband from the fridge in the basement. Then I opened the cell door and sat down in the hallway. I knew Cerebella wouldn't be able to get out. The force field was restricted to the area in the center of the room and no closer. There would be no reason why I couldn't leave the door open. Besides, the fact that she couldn't escape through made her anxious and a pain festered inside of her. She hated being stuck there, almost as much as I did.

I tore off the top of the blood bag and sipped it like a juice box. I hadn't had much to drink since the wedding night and I figured I should stay hydrated. I just hoped the baby wasn't going to have any sort of allergic reaction to it or something. Without hesitation, I sipped it down to about the halfway mark and took a moment to breathe. Smirking, I held it out to the prisoner. "Want some?"

Cerebella was curled up in the corner as if she had something to be afraid of. She was wondering when the next valerian bomb would go flying and sear her skin prior to agonizing pain. Trust wasn't a big factor between a captor and the captured, so I didn't blame her for stressing out.

"Suit yourself then." I went to take another sip.

As I did, her head snapped over at me and she stared with wide eyes at the crimson nectar.

My lips inched away from the bag and I set it down on the floor in front of me. "I'll give it to you if you answer a question for me."

She continued to glue her eyes on the blood as she spoke. "And what question is that, doll?" Her tone lacked the usual bouncy, peppy vibrato.

I slid the bag passed the threshold and leaned back against the wall. "Back in the eighteenth century, Damon and Cal used to live here with their parents when it was still a developing town. They knew a woman back then named Cerebella too and she was sleeping around with their father. Was that you?"

She'd been finishing off the last few drops when I finished my inquiry and she gave me a devilish grin. "Those were good times, before I went by the name of Xavia." She let out a malevolent chuckle. "I assume you want the whole kit and caboodle?"

I nodded.

"Well," she started off. "My brother and I had stumbled across Wolfcrest by accident. We were just passing through on our way back to the mother country. I had grown tired of the American Revolution and all of that boring, confrontational blah but I was never one to miss a party and, when we arrived, there was talk of a grand ball that was to take place later that night. After we stopped to go shopping for some new clothes, Alphaeus and I stuck around to attend." Her mind entered a place where she could reenact the happenings of that night while she told the story. She remembered her and her brother rummaging through a bunch of newly manufactured corpses, occasionally picking something off the bodies that they found useful. A dress here, a hairpin there. Eventually, their outfits were complete and they walked off down the street as if nothing had occurred.

"As you probably guessed, one of the first faces that caught my eye was a one Mr. Torvald Moretti and his two adorable sons. I would have gone for Cal or Damon but they were a bit too ripe and inexperienced for my taste and they seemed to be chasing Guinevere's tail already. So, I got all of the information that I could from the other meat sacks about the Moretti family. It was apparently common knowledge that the two sons were head over heels for the little Del Lenora girl. The second well-known fact was that Torvald had a habit of…testing the waters, if you know what I mean. It didn't seem like his wife knew much about it, but that was just as well for me. I didn't really care.

"That same night, I had my brother chat up Mrs. Moretti while I went in for the kill, so to speak.

"'Why, good evening, sir.' I worked my best bubbly expression and fluttered my eyelashes a tad.

"'And what a good evening it is,' the young father replied. He was putty in my capable hands.

"Within the hour, we had spent a few dances together, as was normal for men back then. Later on, we had a rendezvous time and place all picked out. We were to meet up at the site where the bridge was being built over by the watermill at midnight. He left with his wife—the boys insisted on staying until the very end—and I followed them all the way home. He even kissed his woman good night, cute little thing. Honestly, he seemed the type. Encourage the wife as much as possible that the relationship is solid and go play around with some foxy ferret.

"Anyway, we were together every night since. We even 'occupied' the study a few times. But there was one night in the study that I heard a heartbeat just outside the door. After all of the time I had spent in the house, I knew automatically that it was little Damon who stood outside, peeking through the keyhole, the naughty boy. A good few minutes passed before he pulled away and went upstairs to his room." She remembered smiling to herself as she continued to enjoy the company of Mr. Moretti as he caressed her neck and shoulders with his lips. I imagined that Cal was a lot like his father in that respect. To my surprise, the next image that entered her thoughts was one of her sinking her teeth into the man's throat.

"I assume the boy saw the marks the next day," she continued. "Because he tried to surprise me. He'd been waiting all night behind the potted plant in the corner of the hallway with a stake and some"—she shivered—"valerian." _I'm going to kill that man the next chance I get_, she thought, picturing herself ripping off Ian's head with her bare hands.

"'Young Damon,' I said to the innocent, scrumptious little twerp. 'Did you truly expect to be successful all on your own? Shame on you.' Poor thing didn't know that I was three hundred times stronger than the average vampire. Perhaps, if I had been of the ordinary variety he would have had a fighting chance, but… Not with me. He managed to splash a little bit of valerian on me before he made his run for it. He was on his way to the door when I caught up with him. From that night on, those two imbeciles were my slaves. Oh, I knew about the valerian Damon had been sipping down. I could smell it on his breath, but I pretended to compel him anyway. The two of them were my slaves and that's all I needed. Besides, what's worse? Doing things and knowing that you had no control over your actions or forcing yourself to do those actions without anyone to blame but yourself?" She beamed.

"Damon got exactly what he deserved. It broke his heart into a million tiny pieces when he had to break up with that Guinevere chick. It seems he found his replacement doppelganger. It must have ripped those pieces out of his chest and fed them to the pigs when he watched his own brother rip out her throat. That was a treat for me. I wish I could take credit for it, but that was all Cal. After I turned those idiots for Damon's eventual betrayal and had an entire squadron of British soldiers shoot down their parents, I watched them from afar as they realized what they were.

"Did Damon ever tell you how he completed his transformation? He came back to the spot where his parents lay on the street and drank them both until they were dry. But, oh no, he didn't stop there. There was a second family walking the streets that night on their way home from the Valentine's Day ball—a mother, a father, and a little one, no older than four. He started with their carriage driver and worked his way inside, ripping and tearing, blood dripping onto his white dress shirt." She knew I could read her thoughts and she paused on the image of Damon and the drops of blood that made contact with his raiment. Then the look on his face as he committed the murders, gleaming like it was the most pleasurable thing in the world.

It took all of my willpower to stay there against the wall and _not_ take off into the cell to tear off her head. That wouldn't solve anything and she still hadn't really answered all of my questions. "When did you start going by 'Xavia?'" I asked, gripping the imaginary chains that held me to the floor.

Cerebella recognized my restraint and her grin grew into a delighted chuckle. "Sometime around the 1920s, when my brother and I ran into Calico at an underground pub. Your old boyfriend and I had a good time, if you know what I mean. He had some moves, on and off the dance floor. He didn't really remember me and any bits of his memory that had me in them were purged so I could have his full attention. Grudges don't look good on cute little faces like that. I have to admit, I should have taken him with me as my partner in crime, but my brother wouldn't allow it. I didn't mind too much. I'm the reason that the medieval claptraps knew the word for 'succubus.' I like to pleasure up my victims before I take them. Makes 'em sweeter."

_Ewe_, I thought. _Too much information._ Without another word, I got up and started to walk towards the stairs.

"Now, Damon on the other hand," she began, taunting me with her blabber about my husband. "He would have been more than worth sticking around for. He was quite the tomcat in the sack." Again, she let her mind do the talking, giving me all the dirty details in high def.

Hands clenched, I bounded up the stairs and went to the only place where I knew I couldn't hear her thoughts. I slammed the door to Cal's room and turned around only to turn around again and go for the door knob. "Oh, I'm sorry." Cal was getting dressed, changing out of what I suppose were the clothes he'd worn as he went hunting through the forest of the Black Hills. He wasn't wearing anything but his boxers.

Before I could get the door open, he flashed over to my side and blocked my way. "Wait, Evie. I want to talk to you."

I stared straight into his eyes, avoiding my hormonal urge to examine his manly physique, and replied with a stern, "Right now?" After all, I was married to his brother and here I was alone in a room with him.

"Well, yeah, if you're not busy." He took my hand and led me over to the bed like old times. As he realized I wasn't going to sit down beside him in that particular spot, he stayed standing and clung to my palm. "I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry, for being there and helping Alphaeus turn you. You have to believe me when I say I never would have wanted this life for you and I would have never sided with the guy if it wasn't for his compulsion." _I didn't want _any_ of this for you. Especially not him._

I had the strength to pull away from him, but I was stunned by what he was thinking next and what he was about to say, unable to move.

"I think about it all the time… and us." He smiled as he looked at our touching skin. He looked back to the night of the Wolfcrest High Halloween party, not realizing that I could hear every word that passed through his grotesque, senseless excuse for a brain.

_You were stripping down to your camisole and shorts and putting the dress back on its hanger before you draped it over a chair in the corner. Plucking the decorative pins from their places, you let your hair fall gently about your pale shoulders. That's when I surrounded you with my arms, encasing you around the waist from behind, feeling your pulse quicken as I held you._

"_You ready to sleep?" I whispered between the kisses I pressed along your neck and shoulder._

_A smile tickled your lips. "Almost. I've got to go wipe this goop off my face." You patted my hands and uncoiled from my grasp. Then you went over to the bathroom and closed the door, locking yourself in…_

"_Two?" You struggled to breathe, your lungs giving no entrance to the air around you. When you could find your throat, you called for me and I came to your side immediately, taking your hand in mine._

"_Two of what?"_

_You chocked down the saliva that welled up in your mouth, gulping. "Vampires. I have to go, Tara. Don't sleep alone." You pressed the end button on your cellphone and dropped it. "What are we going to do?" When you asked me, it made me feel like I was the only one in the world who could make your cares go away._

"_Come to bed and we'll deal with this in the morning." I swept you off your feet and placed you on the counter to remove you makeup prior to carrying you off to the covers. It didn't matter how much you objected. I ravished you, nibbling at your neck and smoothing my lips along your ivory skin. All of it was enough to drive you crazy to the point of complete disregard. Your necklace was in place but it wouldn't have done anything against my charms. We were together as one conjoined being._

_Try as we might, the two of us stayed up almost the entire night in the lustful position that had befallen us both._

I shivered and he took that as a good sign. Back in the day, that's what it had normally meant.

In a flash, he tightly gripped my face in his hands and forced himself on me, first kissing my lips before beginning his way down my jaw all the way to my collar bone.

Before he could get any lower, I ripped him off me, sending him flying onto his bed. When he tried to get up and bring me with him, I held up a hand to stop him. "No, don't even think about it." I took a deep, cleansing breath and stood there with my palm facing forward. "I am married to Damon. He and I are _in love_. And, to top it all off, I am _pregnant_. What in your right mind makes you think that I still have those sorts of feelings for you? I am here only because I know how much you guys need our help, but the moment that I think that you won't stay professional about this, I'm heading out and I'm taking my husband with me." A thought came to me when I believed myself to be finished. "Oh, and I remember what you did our first date, when you compelled me to calm down. All of my instincts were telling me to run but you kept me there. I am thankful because, if it wasn't for you, I would have never met Damon who needs me more than anyone else I've ever known has needed me. But I swear, come near me again and I'm walking out on all of this." Once I was sure that my point was made, I headed towards the exit.

Naturally, he came up behind me and opened the door for me, making sure that a foot was between us the entire time. _Maybe later. After this kid is born, we'll see how she really feels without all of those hormones pumping through her veins._ He just really didn't want to let go. Honestly, it sounded like he didn't want to be alone in that big old house for eternity. Once he found himself a girlfriend or something, he'd be okay. I couldn't worry about him right now because something even more terrifying was waiting for me right outside his room.

_What the hell?! _Ben looked from my slightly ruffled clothes to my half-naked brother-in-law and put two and two together to create a chaotic scene in his head, most of which was fed to him through the idiot standing beside me. _You. Me. Now._ He was still glaring at Cal as I slumped and walked into the hall.

Cal was grinning, having guessed what Ben must have thought. _Good. If Evie's going to start hating me along with Damon, I want him to hate her too._

_Wow, that's really grown up of you, Cal_, I scoffed mentally. _And to think I used to date you_. I turned to Ben when I suddenly remembered something. "Wait, I can't leave the house. It's snowing and Damon would kill me if I suddenly caught too much humanity and got the baby sick. Where are we going to go?" _That whole "vampire hearing" thing._

Ben pivoted on his heels and looked at me like I was an idiot. _The whole "mind reader" thing. We'll just chat like this in your room… Just don't try to kiss me or anything._

I punched him in the arm and led the way to Damon's room on the next floor down. As I opened the door, I waited for him to enter before I closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed.

He was taking in the details of the room as I had that first night in Damon's arms, our first kiss. _Great_, he thought. _Now I'm going to have _that _moment in my head, too_.

_Sorry, I was thinking—_

_Yeah, I know. You were thinking about the room. Now, what the hell, Evie? Cal? Really? I thought we already went over this the last time you kissed the person you _weren't_ in a relationship with. Honestly, you go from guy to guy like a freakin' yo-yo, back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth—_

_I know, I know. First of all, last time Damon and I never kissed. We barely even touched. He patched up my bloody wound and that was about the extent of it. This time, it wasn't my fault. I didn't even want him to kiss me. He just did!_

_Yeah, well, he was going to do a lot more than that if you'd let him._

_But I didn't, so will you please not get on me about this one? I've had a rough day._ I flopped backwards on the bed.

He joined me, staring up at the ceiling with his back against the bed and his feet touching the floor. _I'm sorry about the talk you had with Cerebella. That must have been frustrating. But you have to realize that someone in her situation isn't going to tell the truth. She's not a saint, not even close, so you can't take everything she says at face value._

I showed him the part where I scanned her thoughts for faults, making sure that she was in fact sincere. _She told me the truth but only because she knew it was going to mess with my head. Or, at least, she thought it would. Well it did, just not in the way that she wanted it to. I'm not conflicted about whether I love Damon or not, but I am a bit worried about his feelings for someone else. For her. Do you think he still loves her?_ I rested my head on his chest and fought back those crazy, stubbornly powerful human emotions. The one telling me to cry was so close to getting its way, but I couldn't let myself give into that side of my humanity. If I did, there was no guarantee that I'd be able to stop. Ever since my transformation, everything in me was heightened, including my emotions… Especially my emotions.

In an earnest attempt to comfort me and aid my efforts to keep back the tears, Ben surrounded me with his warm man flesh and stroked my hair, imagining all of the times when Damon thought about me. Not only did he give me the things that I heard but the things that I wasn't able to hear, before I turned. _Every moment since he's met you, he has only been able to think about you. He dreams about you every night without fail, he worries about you constantly, and he tried to give you the one thing that he knew you wanted that he normally shouldn't have been able to give. There wasn't a second when his actions weren't directed towards you or your benefit. Even when he was sleeping with those other women, he was trying to get a reaction out of you. He wanted you to realize that you liked him enough to be jealous. I admit that's not the best way to get to a girl's heart, but props for trying, right? There is no doubt in my mind or anyone else's—except Cal's, but he doesn't really count—that Damon is irrevocably in love with you, Evie. You might be able to hear his thoughts now, but you might not be listening closely enough. You are the subject of all of them._

Now that he was showing me all this, I really could see that more clearly. I guess I had before, but now I was unalterably sure that this was true. It was just the things that Cerebella had said that threw me off a little. It would never happen again. At least not for me.

_Good. If I ever have to say that again, I'll have to carve out my brain and feed it to the crocodiles._

As he peered over at my face I kept my eyes glued to the ceiling, fighting back the urge to laugh. Not long afterward, we were both laughing like we were crazy. Anyone else listening in on us would assume so.

Once we died down, he continued. _Honestly, though. I can't believe Cal would do that… I guess I thought that was beneath him, like he was more mature than that. Guess not. I'm honestly glad you chose the player over _that one_. At least Damon was honest about what he did._

_Perhaps. But that's not how they ended up. I swear Moretti must be Italian for "bipolar." First Damon, then Cal… and now…_

_You?_

I chuckled. _Yeah. I assumed it was because of the baby and the hormones, but I'm starting to think otherwise._

_It doesn't help that all of this seems to be piling up on you so quickly. First you find out that your boyfriend is a vampire, your best friend is a warlock and the other is a werewolf. Then you go for the other brother and get changed into a vampire and a witch all in the same night. Not to mention, now you're pregnant with a baby you know nothing about and we're all expecting a surprise visit from the Original who sired you. That's gotta be intense._

I shrugged and carefully traced the Christmas designs on his shirt, mostly out of boredom. My attention span was about ten seconds, thanks to a combination of factors—original human short attention span, vampire, and pregnant. _It's okay, really. I try to remember all the good things that have happened and it gets me through._ Without meaning to, I thought about that Christmas day again… The night he had asked me to marry him at six years old.

_You've been thinking about that, too, huh?_

_You have, too?_

He grinned at the wood paneling above us. _Yeah, mostly to help me remember simpler days but I've been wondering about what would have happened if I had asked you out in high school, if we would have been leading normal lives. It just seems like ever since you and Cal started dating, it's been nonstop magic and vampires and whatever other spooks that scare children at night. I don't think it should have been this way for you and me._

I glanced in his direction without moving from my place on his chest. _You're not gonna kiss me, are you?_

_No_, he thought as he gave me a shove. _Don't get your hopes up. But seriously, until last year, neither of us knew anything about any of those whacko creatures. What if Cal and Damon had stayed wherever they were? Would we be safe from all this?_

_I don't know, Ben. I don't know. I suppose at one point or another we all wonder if there was that one moment that changed our lives. You really miss her, don't you?_

Ben's mind had been wondering off to Molly's horrible death, pinpointing one of the main causes for it as Cal. _I don't know if she was the love of my life or anything but I like to think so. Out of everything, I feel somewhat responsible for an innocent girl's death. If she hadn't known me, she could have been spared. We were going to break up and that was the trip that I had planned to save our relationship. But would it have been better if she had never agreed to go? If I had accepted the fact that her and I were not made for each other, she could have been safe._

_I didn't realize you two weren't doing so well. You guys always seemed like you were blissfully in love. I guess I wasn't really paying attention towards the end, but I know it's not your fault about what happened to her. I understand why you think it could be Cal's fault. He did lead the vampires to camp. But if you want to blame anybody for Molly's death, blame me. It was my scent that caught the vampires off guard and brought them towards our camp. If I wasn't there, you guys may have been safer. Honestly though, those vampires would have latched onto anybody. If she had known about our world, it wouldn't have helped…_ My brain seemed to be spiraling out of control. I sighed and leaned onto his chest in a way that I could look straight into his eyes. _What I'm trying to say is there is no way of knowing what factored into her death. It could be anything that triggered it. So don't blame yourself because there's no point. She's gone and she's probably doing a lot better up there than we will be down here pretty soon. She doesn't have to worry about all of these trivial things like emotions or petty lust._

He stared into my eyes and brushed my hair away from my face. _Maybe. I hope you're right. But do you really feel that way? Emotions are what make us alive._

_But they also get in the way of certain understandings._

With a grin, he flipped me on my side and tickled me. _Feel that?_

I giggled without control. My heightened senses took hold and all I could do was burst. _Yes! I feel it! Don't! _The tone was light but I really needed him to stop. I was afraid that if I acted out in my normal human ways, I could accidentally hurt him.

_Okay._ He followed my mental commands and let me return my head to its resting place on his chest. _It doesn't work that way._

_What doesn't work that way? _I asked.

_You were about to ask me "How long did it take for you to project your thoughts into somebody else?" But it doesn't really work that way. It wasn't a certain amount of time that triggered the ability. I just continually practiced to the point where all it took was a moment of powerful emotion and _BAM! _It all escalated from there._

_Do you think I will be able to do that kind of stuff?_

_Why not? Cerebella copied and gave you all of my abilities, didn't she? Maybe all you need is a few sessions with Grandma Rose and you'll be pumping out the good magical juices._ _In fact, why don't we practice a little right now?_


	6. Chapter 6: Experiment

Chapter Six:

Experiment

Benjamin jolted upward into a seated position, bringing me up with him, and grinned. He took my hand and led me down the stairs, gave me a jacket to put on, and brought me outside into the garden. We dived right into the area enclosed by the large, fence-like hedges coated in thick white blankets of powdery snow. Then he positioned me at one end of the strange rectangular opening slightly away from the fountain that sat in the dead center. Once I was standing where he wanted me, he went to the opposite end of the rectangle and faced me, his grin ever widening.

I heard faint footsteps in the distance. As they grew louder, so did the mental voice that went along with them.

_I'm going to kill that kid. I believe I specifically said, "No going outside!" And what does he do? He takes her outside! What the hell kind of sense does that make? I don't know why I shouldn't just eat him._ The footsteps stopped, complimented by a tone that would chill even my bones into itty bitty popsicles. "What do we have here? Benny and Joon."

I slowly turned around, worried for my life for the first time in a long time. "H-hey, honey." With a faked air of confidence, I waltzed passed the few feet in between us and wrapped my arms around his neck. "How was the hunt?"

Damon pinned his sharp stare on me, eyes like daggers. "Don't 'hey, honey' me. Don't think for one second that I don't know what you're doing." He realized by the shocked expression on my face that he was being a bit harsh on a fragile young woman. With a worried grin, he pulled me in closer and kissed my neck.

For a second, I was worried that he was going to catch Cal's lingering scent on me and assume that something wrong went down—which it had, but not because I didn't want to stop it.

I was right to worry. There was a moment when he presumed that this might be the case but he quickly thought of something else to save my feelings. He didn't want me to think that he would ever picture me cheating on him, especially not with his little brother. "I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby and who knows what could trigger a premature labor or… something. So, as I so kindly asked before, what the hell is going on?" His composure remained though his words were full of malice and angst. He was not keen on the idea that I should be allowed to roam the snowy garden of rosebushes, but even less okay with whatever it was Ben and I were about to do.

"We were just about to have a magic lesson. It was Ben's idea." _I'm selling you out if it's the last thing I do. You're coming down with me, Fillmore, and no complaints._

"No magic! The baby was conceived with magic but it doesn't mean she's protected from it. Who knows what effect it could have on her?"

"Actually," Ben corrected. "At such a critical stage in her powers' development, the more she practices controlling and expanding her abilities the better it will be for her in the long run. Unless the spell is directly aimed at her or the baby, they'll be fine." He was careful to say it with a surety instead of using the dangerous but ever popular word "should." That was the word used when someone was ninety-nine percent sure and it would have fit in this situation. There was a slight possibility something could go wrong, but we both knew that Damon would never have consented to our lessons together unless there was no chance for failure.

Damon linked eyes with me and asked with that voice of soothing honey that we both knew I couldn't resist, "Is there even a smallest chance that something bad could happen?"

The combination of the eyes, the lips, the hands on my skin, and the sound of his voice made me tell him everything. Besides, if I expected him to tell me everything he should be able to expect the same thing in return. No secrets. I promised. "I suppose there's always room for a margin of error. Nothing is completely without risk." I felt so weak, like my legs were going to curl in ways that they were never meant to and break off. Darn Damon's pleasing features! They were his best weapon, closely seconded only by his silver words.

"_Margin of error" is just another way of saying that you have no clue. I'm not going to let you do something that could cause an accident._

_Way to go, kid_. Ben was about ten seconds from throwing in the towel.

I decided that these experimental magic tricks were worth the effort and possibly the heat that I was going to have to take from my husband later on. _You're gonna want to look away, Ben._ "Honey," I whispered in a voice only Damon could hear in his vampire ear. "I love you and I love this baby with all of my heart. You know I wouldn't do anything unless I was sure that nothing was going to happen. Ben has been practicing magic for a while now with an expert. He'll make sure I'm okay and you can even watch if it makes you feel better." I kissed his lips, stroking and tracing the line of his jaw, down his neck.

He was trying his hardest not to fall into the trap that I was laying out for him. He knew that the moment he consented to this madness, I would be spending all of my time with Ben. For some reason I was never going to be able to understand, he was more cautious when it came to things I could only do with Ben. He wasn't like my Aunt Fauna and the others who knew that we were like brother and sister and there was no reason to worry about us getting "carried away." I could hear the conflict in his thoughts, first thinking of my touch and then urging himself into remembering that he wasn't okay with what I was trying to convince him of. "Fine," he finally replied. "But only because I know that if I said no you would never forgive me for taking away this opportunity from you." Defeat shown on his face as he removed my hands and trudged over to the marble bench that sat along the edge of the garden between two ruby red rosebushes.

"I'm sorry," I breathed. "I'll try to make it up to you." Feeling a little guilty for the pain I caused him, I twisted my body around to face Ben. _What now, genius? I hope this is worth it._

_Oh, it will be when you can impress him with the magic I'm about to teach you. We'll save the really cool ones for when you've had enough practice and your hubby isn't watching._

_And then will you try and teach me how to project my thoughts?_

_We can try, yes. But there's no guarantee that this is something that I can teach. I can still only project my thoughts into your mind. I haven't quite gotten to the part where other people can hear me, too. Not that I'd really want anyone to hear me. For now, let's start with a basic anti-gravity spell._

_Okay, but let's try to speak out loud so we're not being rude to Damon. He's already had enough pain today and I can't bear the look on his face right now._

He nodded. "Alright. Let's start with an anti-gravity spell. It will help you learn control. Now, stand still and watch me." His body turned until he faced Damon and grinned. Without warning, he reached a hand out towards my husband. In seconds, the vampire in question was floating so high in the air that even I was concerned about what may occur if the spell suddenly ceased.

"Hey! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Damon yelled as he hung in the air, flapping his arms around like a bird. "Put me down!" Bad memories of this occurring in the past year made him worry about my friend's intentions.

"Stop being such a girl," replied Ben. "You asked to be a part of this and I'm merely granting your wish."

I shifted my eyes to Ben and glared. "Ben, put him down. I got the idea." If this was truly for my benefit, I had seen enough to hopefully get it right.

Ben did as I asked, slowly moving his hand until Damon was placed delicately back on his bench. "Your turn. Close your eyes."

Hesitantly, I shut my eyes and waited for further instructions, first catching a glimpse of my love who was more than perturbed at the way we seemed to be treating him today. I would seriously have to make it up to him later on.

"Now, I'm going to speak to you. Keep thinking about Damon in the air while I talk."

That honestly didn't make any sense to me but I did as I was commanded. As Ben started talking about random principles of magic, I thought of Damon floating without the gravity to keep his feet on the ground.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Evie, slowly open your eyes but do not break concentration!"

As I opened my eyes, I saw my best friend floating almost half a mile in the air. Had I let go of him like we both feared that I would, he would have surely plummeted to his death. Frightened of the consequences, I kept my mind glued to the moment when Damon had been in the exact same position.

"Now, if you don't mind, bring me back to the ground without breaking every bone in my body."

I placed my palm out in front of me and gradually created the pattern of Ben's descent. Once his feet were touching the white-coated grass, I ran over to him and punched him in the shoulder. "You jerk! Why didn't you tell me that I was about to risk your life?"

Ben rubbed his wound and took in a jagged breath. "Because it wouldn't have… worked unless you… thought I was going to… fall."

"And you probably would have!"

"But I didn't! See." He did a little twirl to show off his physical state, unharmed. "I'm fine, other than the bruise I now have on my shoulder. You didn't drop me and I'm okay. Even after you realized that I could die, you kept your head on straight and focused."

"Is that what Grandma Rose had you do?" I asked, slightly exasperated and not at all recovered.

"Not exactly, but it got the job done, didn't it?"

I shook my head and stomped back over to my spot, shoulders cringing, fists closed.

He grinned. "Good. Now, this time, try it with your eyes open the whole time and instead of picturing Damon, think about what you want me to do specifically. And let's try not to go as high this go-around. You don't want me to end up like a pancake on the snow."

Determination flooded through my blood as I shoved my right hand out in front of me and immediately brought Ben ten feet upwards. Trying to show off, I gently situated my stance so that Ben was now directly above a snow bank and released the spell from my mind.

A short drop and he was half-buried in a mound of freezing, white crystalized raindrops. "What the hell, Evie?"

"Oops," I beamed. "Sorry."

Cal came down from the house just in time to see Ben slam into the snow, sending waves of the stuff in every direction. He laughed and sat on the opposite side of the garden from his brother where an identical bench was placed. "Nice one."

With a growl, Ben struggled out of the mound and returned to his former position. _Jerk._ "Let's do that again but try moving more than one person at a time."

I gave him a swift nod and had my palms facing the two brothers on either side of the yard. _Up._ At the thought of the word, they glided into the open air.

"Good, now put them back where you found them."

Carefully, I returned them to their seats and smiled. "Well, that was easy." I imagined a great deal of my abilities and their fast expansion was due primarily to Ben's understanding of the spells. My mind was beginning to speculate that perhaps, when Cerebella copied his powers, she copied them from the advanced stages that he had already worked them to. This technically would have meant that I could already send my thoughts to Damon by now, but perhaps I still had to tap into them like he did.

Ben awarded me with a proud sort of smile and continued on with his lesson. "Let's move on to elemental spells." He widened his stance and brushed his hands together. "When you're using an elemental spell, you must remember to focus. This is the kind of spell that takes plenty of discipline and stamina." _And it can't be undone once you perform it_, he added mentally to avoid certain people from going postal on his butt and canceling the lesson altogether. "First, I'm going to show you a spell and then I'll have you give it a try." He pointed his body at the snow bank I had sent him into and said a bunch of words that made no sense to me. As soon as he did, fire shot from his hand and began melting the snow, reducing it to a pathetic little puddle on the dying grass.

"What was that? It didn't even sound like words," I muttered.

"It's because I spoke in the language of the magical beings of old. I still don't know what I'm saying. Grams and I haven't quite reached that lesson yet. But I don't technically need to know what I'm saying to cast the spell. All I have to do is picture in my mind what I want to happen and let the words flow out into a spell. When I think about melting a pile of snow, I become a human flamethrower. It's all a part of the link that your powers have with your needs and desires." _For example, you wanted a baby and magic turned you into a vampire baby incubator._ "Now try to melt some snow."

I looked around for a good test subject and found exactly what mound I should use. A large clump of snow sat on top of the hedge just behind Cal and his bench. So I did what any sister-in-law would do after being tortured with the disgusting feel of her brother-in-law's lips touching her neck. _Melt the snow_, I thought as I aimed at the pile above his head and grinned as my powers did exactly what I wanted them to. The snow quickly turned into a river of icy water that landed right on top of his smug little face as he looked up to see what was going on.

_Nice one! _Ben cheered, mocking Cal's annoying voice.

_Thanks!_

Instead of reacting with a dramatic outburst like the other two, his smug grin turned into one of distaste. Maybe he was finally going to stop pursuing me. Unfortunately, that was not what happened. In the spur of the moment, his stupid expression reappeared on his arrogant face and he ripped off his dripping wet shirt. He didn't really benefit from its warmth anyway. It was merely for decency's sake that he wore it in the first place. Now, it was the perfect opportunity for him to show off some skin.

I rolled my eyes and immediately regretted my decision to pick on him. If I continued trying to annoy him, he was only going to turn it around until it pissed me off as well.

Our evening continued in this sort of manner until Ben eventually had to go back home for his big Christmas dinner, caroling, and opening up presents. He already knew what his parents had gotten him, but it was just as important to spend the time to open them and show them how much he appreciated them. He tried to invite me once more before he left, but I restated the importance of me staying behind. Even if I could go, one day I would have to disappear from their lives and it would be just as hard if not harder for me to leave them. He pretended he completely understood what I was talking about and finally went on his way to go back to his family.

I stayed outside in the yard practicing my spells on the things in the garden. Damon remained in his spot while Cal retired to his room where he watched me from afar. This was becoming very _Phantom of the Opera_ to me. Raoul and I were very much in love but the phantom still felt like he had some sort of claim on me because I belonged to him first, or so he thought.

My rage was beneficial in helping me channel my powers. It gave me something to try and fight as I concentrated on the spell I was working on. Levitating benches and creating fires was the best way I could think of to calm myself down. If I thought about Cal too much, I would end up burning him alive and even though this didn't sound like such a bad idea, I knew that I would never be able to live with myself if I was the cause of someone's death, let alone Cal's. I may have currently hated his guts but he was still family, whether I liked it or not.

Soon, Damon announced that he had to return to werewolf hunting now that he knew I was safe and the two Moretti brothers left me alone once again with my thoughts. With everyone else gone, I could imagine up spells that perhaps Ben had never thought of teaching me. What if I could create a likeness of Alphaeus or even help with our search by bringing him straight to us. Magic brought endless possibilities and I wanted to explore each and every one of them. It would have been more fun if I had someone beside me who was willing to watch as I discovered a new idea that had never occurred to them before. To not be alone would have been a great motivator for me, but I guessed that maybe being alone was just as well.

Without Damon and Benjamin breathing down my neck, I could do anything I wanted.

It was this attitude that fueled my need to discover. In under an hour, I wasn't just conjuring wolves and orbs of light. I was creating familiars that looked like people I loved.

"Ostende me intellígere atque docebit me per viam nativitatis!" These words unraveled my heart and brought forth unto me my deepest desires. I wanted my parents, and magic returned to me a likeness of my father.

The strapping young man that had helped bring me into the world sat in the exact same seat that my husband had been sitting in. He was wearing his firefighter's uniform minus the ridiculous chunky hat which he held in his hands. At first, it was like he didn't even know I was there. But after a moment, he glanced up at me and smiled, his pale green eyes clouded with tears.

I got up from the place where I had been kneeling in the snow and ran across the space between us until I could finally stand in his embrace. The moment that I slammed into his chest was the second that he became real, real enough to touch anyway. "Dad," I cried in a whisper.

"Hello, sweetheart." He cradled my head to his chest and buried his face in my hair. "It's been a while, kid."

"Too long."

"That's what happens when people die, I suppose. I've been watching you up there."

I frowned at the thought of him looking down at me and assumed he would be disappointed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." He was the reason that my family and the Whitmans were such good friends. My dad would always hang out with Mr. Whitman, ever since they were kids, and my mother and I came along after they were married and I was born. He probably would have wanted me to marry Ben and be normal instead of what I was right now.

He let go of me and sat me down next to him on the bench. "Evelyn Anastasia Richards. I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you. I'm only here for a little while and you're not going to ruin this trip for me." He brushed his hand along my cheek. "I am so proud of you, my little girl. You grew up knowing what was right and what was wrong even though life had taken away your parents. You were able to keep two great friends up through your childhood and into high school." He grinned. "And you even managed to get yourself married and pregnant with a kid even after everything in the world told you it was impossible."

"But what about Damon? Aren't you angry that I married the man that did this to you? That separated us?" Tears flooded my eyes as I thought about the days of my younger childhood that I couldn't remember, all of those moments that I had spent with my father that I was too young to recall. I had fallen in love with the guy who had made it impossible for me to grow up with my dad. Surely that was something worth chastising me for.

"No, Evie. I guess I might have been at first, but then I saw all of those little things that you did that changed his heart. Before he met you, Damon Leonardo Moretti was a serial killer who ate and yearned for pleasure. You changed that in him. Do you think that same man would care so much about you and the baby?"

I grinned as I thought about how much he loved me. "No. I guess not."

"You turned him into a man who was capable of love even after the hundreds of years he had to lose that humanity." He pulled me closer and let me rest my head on his shoulder as he held me close in his protective arms. "You should listen to that Whitman boy. He knows what he's talking about."

"But I don't understand, Dad," I said. "Aren't you angry that I turned into a monster?"

"No, Evie," he repeated sweetly. "We can't always help what we become and it's not like you asked to become a vampire. Besides, you are doing so well with what you have been given. Unlike all of the other vampires out there, you have kept your remaining link to the human world, you've chosen a life that doesn't involve killing people, and you refuse to give in to your dark side. I couldn't have asked for a better future for my daughter. Sure, I would have liked it better if you had a heart that was still beating and a way to grow old but this will do just fine. Immortality suits us, don't you think." He held up his hand, displaying the youth that remained there in the length of skin that was showing from his wrist to the tip of his finger. There weren't any wrinkles or signs of aging that would have normally presented themselves after the years that he had been in existence.

I compared my hand to his and smiled, picturing myself as being more like him than I ever thought was possible. "I guess you're right. After all, like father, like daughter. Right?"

He grinned and kissed the top of my head. "Right." With a sigh, he spoke softly and stroked my hair. "Whatever you decide to do, just remember that I love you and I'm proud of what you've become in your young age. Don't bother with thinking about me with such sadness anymore, okay? I'm happy where I am with your mother and we want you to be happy, too. And, one more thing. Alphaeus is going to try and rip you guys apart, but you can't let him."

I looked up at him with confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"

He ignored me and continued with his warning. "If Alphaeus and Cerebella get what they want, the world is going to become a place of darkness. They will ravage every small town and city until the whole world is covered in blood. The time of vampires will come and you can't let that happen. Evie, you have to be careful. He's coming back for you, his little creation." He didn't meet my gaze and his tone was nothing but serious, if not a bit reluctant like this was not something he wanted to have to say during our reunion. When he did finally look down at me, he grinned with a single tear falling down his cheek. "Goodbye." Once the word was spoken, he disappeared into the air.

I fell forward, missing the support that he was giving my posture. "Dad!" I screamed after him. I stood and tried to conjure him again but something was keeping me from doing it once more. It was like he said what he needed to say and now he could no longer return to this plane or something like that.

Crying, I ran inside away from the cold and curled up under the heaps of blankets that Damon must have set on the bed. I buried myself in my pillow and continued my ceaseless sobbing. When I was a little girl, I never really had the time to mourn for my father. He had never seemed real to me. Even after seeing all of those pictures that my parents had taken of each other from before I was born, he seemed like a person from a story. Now that I had held him in my arms, he was so real that losing him meant gaining all of the pain that I had never needed to possess before. This was a heartbreak that no spell could remedy. Loneliness seemed even more prominent in a household with no one inside. No one but me.

Or so it was, until the boys came home, that is. Damon slipped into bed around two o'clock in the morning and wrapped his arms around me. Without using my head, I cuddled into his side and let the teardrops silently fall down my face. He didn't ask, hoping that I was still asleep. We'd talk about it later and that was okay for both of us.

Moments passed and finally I was able to actually fall asleep. My little experiment may have brought on a sorrow that I currently couldn't seem to overcome, but it also brought a devastatingly caring counsel. _"The time of vampires will come," _he said. But what could he have meant by that? My mind did all the answering for that question on its own, devising a perfect scenario in my head that would give me nightmares for weeks.

Alphaeus was rummaging through a burning, empty street. Wreckage was everywhere and bodies were piled high on top of a dumpster that smoked. I could smell the scent of human flesh being torched into a state no better than charcoal. Even with my thirst echoing in the back of my throat, the sight was horrible.

The Original continued walking down the street and stopped, turning his head to the left. He was looking at a house. It was Ben's house, his street even. With a demon-like, hungry sort of grin, he busted down the door, went up the flight of stairs, and found Ben in the arms of his sister as she fed on him.

"Sorry, brother," she said as she threw my friend aside like he was common garbage. "This one was too sweet to resist."

He waved his hand about as if this was not the reason for his entering the house. "Have you seen her around, sister? We must head off for the city soon if we are expecting to catch our flight." He spun around at a sound I couldn't place and beamed, walking back to the doorway where he had just come. "Hello, my love." He bent down and kissed a girl who was standing there waiting for him.

When he pulled away, the girl smiled, blood dripping from her face. "Are we leaving already?" That was me! He was kissing me, calling me his love. It was like I was watching this all play out on a television screen in some sort of out of body experience.

"Yes, my darling Evelyn," he replied. "We just have to round up the others and we will be on our way."

The three of us walked out to the street and wore the faces of those who seemed to rule the world, in mind if not reality. Alphaeus's arm was around me and I looked like I enjoyed my place there by his side. What was the world coming to? It must have been the end of the world if I was willing to be within ten feet of that dude. Where was Damon?

As if answering my question, the screen shifted to a pile of bodies that I must have been looking at. I stopped and glanced up at Alphaeus. "Why did we have to get rid of the brothers?"

Alphaeus looked into my eyes and they dilated. He must have been using the Powers of compulsion on me. I suppose he would have had to in order to keep my compliant. "Damon and Cal were trying to kill you, remember? I came to save you from them and they did not want you to leave. You never really loved either of them anyway. They were fooling you. That is why you realized you loved me. Can't you remember?"

My head rose and fell robotically. "Yes, I remember. I love you." I snapped out my trance and smiled. "Always and forever."

"Always and forever," he repeated.

As soon as he said this, I snapped back into my body just in time to get a tongue bath from a psycho Original. End of the world was an understatement.


	7. Chapter 7: Wolf's Bane

Chapter Seven:

Wolf's Bane

I snapped back into reality with more tears and even a bit of screaming, but when I went to bury my face in my husband's chest, I realized he wasn't there. It wasn't until later that day that I understood that he was still alive and I wasn't the zombie love slave of the creepy Alphaeus from my mind.

Days passed and still no sign of a werewolf pack was found. Ben stayed with me while Damon and Cal were out hunting them down. It gave us plenty of time to practice our abilities. He made a note of the fact that I seemed to be progressing even faster than was normal for most, which we decided was due to my vampire DNA. We studied the laws of magic, elemental spells, that awesome trick with the butterflies that always made me smile, and how to give other vampires a major, head-splitting migraine. He reassured me that the latter of the few would be perfectly okay for me to use since it only worked on the specific vampires that I focused my spell on. Neither I nor the baby was at risk.

When Ben found out about me conjuring my dad, he was more than furious. He was about to put the fear of God in me if I didn't "wise up." He explained to me that while I thought I had merely summoned an image of him, I must have inserted into the image a living consciousness. I had literally willed my father so much into existence that his soul had entered the human form I had made for him. Luckily, the spell had a short time limit because if he had been here for too long, all hell would have broken loose. Literally.

From that moment on, I wasn't allowed to use my powers unless Ben was present. He promised not to talk about it to Damon and let me do all of the explaining but he made me swear that I would never use that spell again. I quickly agreed, knowing the trouble I might have caused.

I also told Ben about my dream and he figured that it made sense. After hearing about what my dad had said, everything seemed to make more sense. The oncoming storm of what we knew to be called "the great darkness" was in fact a real tragedy that was threatening to invade our world should Alphaeus and his sister succeed in their plan, whatever it was precisely. The danger was imminent if they got their way with the world. "The time of vampires" would come and destroy humanity which meant we had to stop them. They were trying to build up an army which would—despite the cliché—take over the world. Our only hope was to find these wolves before we received our visit from the crazy Original.

Finally, exactly four days after my encounter with my father, Damon and Cal came across the pack of wolves we had been searching for. Once Damon and Cal spotted them from afar, they sent Ben in to act as our ambassador. It was evident from all of the stories about werewolves that the Morettis had told me that vampires and wolves were sworn enemies; sending in one of us to do the job would have been suicide.

Today was the day. Damon, Cal, and I were patiently sitting in the living room for Ben to come back from his trip to the Black Hills. The boys had given him the coordinates for the wolves' base camp and sent him on his merry way only a few hours ago. We weren't expecting him back for another few minutes. Even then, the suspense was killing me. Damon had to hold my waist just to keep me from bouncing uncontrollably in my seat. No one spoke, mostly because Damon was sure that something happened between Cal and I and he wasn't about to grace his brother with small talk. Cal was still hoping that I would leave his brother and run away with him instead. Honestly, the thought of a child never crossed his mind. He figured that Damon and I were just using that as a tactic to seem like we were extra special or something preposterous like that. I ignored his thoughts and kept on bouncing up and down with anticipation.

On the stroke of noon, Ben and two young men entered through the door and eventually stepped into the living room.

"Guys, this is Patrick Elmwood, the leader of the Black Hills Werewolf pack and his second in command, Terrance Shepard." Ben gestured to each person as he introduced them.

The first, Patrick, was a tall, slender man of about twenty-two years of age with dirty blonde, scruffy hair and eyes like a running stream. His companion had a similar height and build though obviously had a few more years on him, by far. The two guys had many similar characteristics like the length and poorly kept state of their hair and the animal-like quality in their eyes.

I smiled and stood to greet them. The other two vampires in the room got up at the exact same time to keep me away from them.

_Don't_, Damon warned me. _We don't know what they'll do._ He wasn't too excited about this little visit, especially since his last encounter with a werewolf ended up with him having to rest up in a sickbed with me as he suffered unthinkable pain.

_Odd how the dark-haired male vamp seems to cling to the girl like that_, Patrick assessed. _The other male has a similar protective expression on his face. This girl must have some sort of great importance if they are willing to call in our kind for help._

Terrance had a very different outlook on the situation. _I can't believe the boss is making me stay here with these vermin. If they end up being dangerous, I'm taking down that one first and then that one_, he thought, referring to the youngest and then the eldest Moretti. _I'll let the boss get the girl._

_Thanks for the consideration. I'll try not to be offended at being a last pick. Too bad the little puppy doesn't know that I'm the strongest out of the three of us._

_He'll figure it out soon enough_, thought Ben.

"Thank you for coming," I said from my spot behind Damon. "We're all grateful that you would agree to meet us. Would you mind if we asked you a few questions? Please, have a seat."

The wolves didn't make a move until the three of us vampires were seated on the same couch across from the loveseat. Ben rolled his eyes and sat down on the arm of the couch beside me—Damon didn't want me sitting next to his brother—and put his arm around me for support, an arm that my husband was more than willing to bite off at any moment.

While Ben was the intended representative, I felt like a close second. Our best friend had been a werewolf. Surely that had to mean something to these people. "We understand that a werewolf bite can kill a vampire."

Patrick's jaw clenched. "That is correct." _Then they understand that having us here is dangerous. This problem Ben spoke of must be really severe after all._

"Let's get to the point. What do you bloodsuckers want?" Terrance growled impatiently.

"Be kind, Terrance. These people may not be human but they do not appear to be of any threat to us and they have kindly invited us into their home." He twisted his head to face me. "What is it that you would like to ask of us?"

I grinned at the eloquence of his speech. He must have been one smart kid. "We are being hunted down by a very powerful, deadly vampire and we were wondering if you would side with us long enough to kill him. You see, this vampire has the ability to withstand all of the basic means that would normally kill a vampire but so far we were able to discover that werewolf bites are still fatal to them."

"Why is he after you?"

I looked up at Ben for permission and was given a nod of approval. "He and his sister were trying to create an army of special creatures that could potentially turn the world to blood. While he was trapped, he managed to escape but he left his sister behind. He will do anything to get her back but they must be destroyed before that happens. If the two siblings are reunited, they are ten times stronger than when they are apart." _Maybe we should kill her now and get it over with… if you agree._

_Oh, I agree. She won't stop thinking about eating me alive. It gives me the heeby jeebies._

"So you want us to kill a vampire for you?" He smiled. "That should be easy enough. But what would we gain out of this deal?" It wasn't necessarily that he wanted anything, but it was a point of curiosity.

"A friendship, an alliance. We can be there for each other for the common good. It's not just about vampires and werewolves but humans are at risk as well. We wish no harm on anyone and together we could protect them. I hear you have a pest problem not too far from where you live. If you'd like, we could help you exterminate them in exchange for your aid here."

Patrick nodded. "Done. My pack and I will be glad to help and to share in this alliance." His smile grew. _Important, indeed._

"Do you mind if we ask you one more question?" asked Cal.

"Sure."

Cal rested his right ankle on his left knee and relaxed so he could better absorb the information that he was hoping to receive. "Do you know how a person could break the transformation pattern? We had a friend who awoke the wolf gene without killing anyone but we didn't think that was possible."

The alpha shook his head. "No, I am sorry. I do not. Every one of my pack members has spilt blood to get to where we are today. Terrance here got into a car accident and the other driver did not survive and that is all it took, but someone must die in order to complete the transformation." He leaned forward, suddenly more comfortable where he sat. "What happened to your friend?"

Ben jumped in to answer this particular question. He didn't want anyone blaming me for something that he kept claiming was not my fault. "The vampire who is hunting us killed her." _It's not your fault._

_Agree to disagree._

"So, how many of you guys are there?" Damon decided now was about the right time to step in.

"There are nine of us in total. The newest of our group joined us not too long ago so he may not be as willing to work with vampires but everyone will join the cause."

"How do you know they'll be your obedient little lapdogs?"

"Damon!" I scolded.

Patrick smiled at me. _At least someone hasn't completely lost her humanity. She has a certain strength of will about her, and something else… What is it? _"That is alright. Childish quarreling is part of a vampire's nature towards my kind. I would not expect anything less." He centered his attention on Damon. "To answer your question, all members of a pack are bound to the leader's word. Once rules are given, their physical forms will force them to obey. I do not completely agree with the idea of oppression, so I try to refrain from using my demanding tone, but there are certain instances when it is necessary. Following the laws of an alliance is one such instance."

Damon nodded, speechless. His normal array of witty retorts was in short supply for some reason, so I took it upon myself to finish off the conversation.

"Do you mind if we talk about our arrangement further? We haven't really thought our plan through completely and it would be great to get some of your input."

Patrick nodded, still smirking. "It would be my pleasure. Well, first things first, I would like to discuss this extermination plan you spoke of. I imagine you would want us on hand because, if I am correct, it sounds like you have no idea when this vampire is coming. As soon as our conversation has concluded, I would like to send Terrance with whomever you are willing to spare to fulfill your end of the bargain and they'll be on their way. Then everyone will return and you will have exactly what you need for your counterattack. Does that sound agreeable?"

I was stunned almost as much as my husband. The man really did seem to have a way with words. "Uh, yeah, I guess. That sounds great!" All of a sudden, I was getting really excited for whatever it was we were anticipating right now. Fighting alongside a pack of werewolves wasn't exactly a dream of mine but their pack leader seemed pretty nice. Besides, I knew Damon was overeager to get this thing over with and return home. He didn't want to be here almost as much as I had regretted coming back here before. At the moment, it wasn't looking too bad for us. Yeah, there was a lot of weird drama going on but that was to be expected wherever we went. Drama was a part of being human, or at least looking like a human. Sometimes I think we do it just for the fun of it, like we have nothing else better to do.

"Splendid. Then, if there is nothing further you wish to discuss…" He glanced to his left. "Terrance, you and the others best be on your way. We have to make sure the camp is safe before the rest of the pack disembarks. Understood?"

Terrance expressed his distaste but thought of being able to "roast a few leeches" and he cheered up. "Yes, boss." He rose from his seat and stared down the Morettis. "Alright, which one of you is man enough to come hunting with me."

With wounded pride, both brothers flashed out of their seats and glared at their guest. They weren't going to stand for such disrespect from someone they were almost positive they could take down with little-to-no effort.

Ben couldn't help but roll his eyes as he followed suit and stood beside his friends. "Let's go." As the others headed towards the door, he looked back at me with a worried glance. _Are you going to be okay alone with this guy? He may seem nice but I'm still not sure if we can trust him just yet._

I grinned to encourage him that everything was alright. _I'll be fine. I don't think he'll try to hurt me, but if he does I'll be ready for him. Don't worry about me. My husband and brother-in-law need you._

He chuckled. _I still don't know how you can still call him that after everything he's done._

_Because he's family no matter what he does, and that's not something I can help. It wouldn't be fair to completely separate myself from some of the only family I'll ever have. It's just you, me, and them now, Ben._

_I guess. Now, watch that guy. He sounds like a troublemaker with a vocab._

_I will. Go and be safe, okay?_

_I will. And don't worry, I'll protect the others._

_Thank you_, I thought gratefully. He was the best brother anyone could ever ask for. Too bad he was stuck being an only child. Any child the Whitmans would have had after him would have had a wonderful person to look up to.

Once they were gone, I sat rigidly across from Patrick and crossed my legs. There were so many things that I wanted to ask him but I was too busy trying to figure out what he meant when he spoke about me being important. Not to mention, many of his other thoughts seemed cryptic to me also.

He copied my pose and sat with his legs crossed much like Cal had been sitting a moment ago. _Why does she stare at me that way? What a little ball of curiosity she is. She and Ben seemed to be exchanging glances, as if they were communicating somehow. Yet, I still can't decide which one of them she's with. They all seem to surround her, to require her attention._

_What is he getting at? What do you mean "they all?" You can't possibly think that Ben…?_ I thought about all of the stuff that he and I have always done together and immediately my mind switched over to Damon. The way he sat with me, the way we always lie on the bed and stare up at the ceiling or into each other's eyes. Then the image morphed from Damon's face back to Ben's and I grew even more brittle-boned. _No. It has to be a mistake._ In earnest, I thought of the way my father had cradled me in his arms. _No, Ben is definitely more of a brother. He reminds me of my dad a bit._

Patrick and I continued to sit and stare. One was thinking, the other was listening in terror.

_I think she's pregnant… Can that be right? I can smell it, a heartbeat. It can't be hers. She still reeks like one of them. No, she has to be. But how can that be? Vampires can't get pregnant, can they? That means they could have been breeding this whole time and no one would know._

I was surprised that he could keep such a calm expression in place while he frantically determined the possibility that vampires could be multiplying enough that one day they would rule the world. Just by looking at his face, you never would have guessed that he was picturing a baby vampire planning to dominate the planet. I had to hold back a laugh until he continued on with his train of thought.

_Maybe Terrance was right. Maybe this clan is just as dangerous as the others. Perhaps there is a more logical reason that these vampires are being hunted._

_What? No! You were doing so well! Go back to thinking Ben and I were lovers. At least that wasn't something that could cause my family bodily harm. What should I do?_

_Although, someone as rational as this young one doesn't seem capable of such criminal acts._

_Thanks! I like where this is going._

_But which one is the father of her child? Certainly it must be one of the brothers—only brothers would look at each other with such rivalry as they do. Let's see. She was sitting between Ben and the dark-haired male. It must be one of those two. Although, he did put his arm around her._

_Okay, I was kidding when I told you to go back to thinking about Ben and I being lovers. Please stop. And he was just trying to stay balanced. I didn't mind. He's like my brother!_ Finally, I'd had enough of this. "Will you stop that?"

Patrick's look was puzzled. "What do you mean? You are the one staring at me."

"No, I mean stop thinking about my love life. It's none of your concern." It was irritating enough when Ben called me out every time I thought about Damon or his brother. Having some idiot who couldn't even read my mind to be informed of the facts was beyond annoying.

"How did you—?" He grinned. "Oh, I see. Is this one of your vampire mind tricks?"

"If you must know, I'm part witch and I can read your mind so please lay off. We did not invite you hear to poke fun at me. And yes, I am pregnant. That's one of the perks of being half vampire and half witch. I accidentally thought too much about kids and now I have one stirring inside of me. My husband is Damon, the dark-haired one, and he is the father. And we're all telling the truth about the vampires who are after us." I stood up. "Here, I can show you." Without bothering to wait for him to follow, I headed for the basement stairs and didn't stop until I reached the cell where the filthy woman was held as our prisoner.

When I turned around, he was standing there gazing at the specimen under furrowed brows.

"Well, well, well," Cerebella chanted as she got to her feet and approached the edge of the barrier. "If it isn't little miss witchy and the mutt king. What do you want?"

I glared in her direction. "Nothing from you. Now shut up." To demonstrate my abilities, I focused on what I wanted and watched as my powers fed my personal whims.

Cerebella dropped to her knees and then proceeded to curl up in a ball on her side, screeching from the pain that echoed in her mind.

It made me glad that this trick actually worked in general let alone on a full-scale Original. I was half a step away from assuming that she was exempt from all of the laws that creatures of the night were bound to. On the other hand, I had never gotten the chance to practice this spell—mostly because I wasn't willing to cause "terrible, unimaginable pain" on anyone I knew.

"Nice work," Patrick complimented.

I turned off my mojo and beamed at him. "Thanks." Now that the demonstration was over, I headed right back up the stairs and sat down on my couch. All of this was just in time for Ian to step through the door.

"Hey, guys. It's just me," he said in a normal voice. He knew that everyone who lived here could hear him at that volume so there was no reason to shout. He stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed that we had a guest. "And who the heck are you?"

"Ian, this is Patrick. He's the Alpha of the Black Hills pack that Damon and Cal located this morning." A grimace stretched across my lips. I had literally just thought about doing the whole "twenty questions" thing to the "mutt king" when he'd gotten here. I didn't really want Ian to be here for that so I racked my brain for something that I could have him do. "Did you ever…? Why don't you…?" I sighed. "Everyone is out hunting vampires. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I'm sure Fauna would love to spend more time with you. I wouldn't want her to think that you were cheating on her or something. You know how suspicious she gets sometimes."

_And for a good reason, it seems. What is Evie hiding?_ "Sure. You'll call if you need me, right?" _I know I don't have any super powers but I'm still an asset to the team._

_But you're safer at home. _"Absolutely. I'll talk to you later. Give her a hug and a kiss for me."

"I will." Suspicions aside, he scuffed his feet back out the door, continuing to dwell on his feelings of inferiority.

The door closed and I immediately spun around to stare down Patrick once more.

"Let me guess, you have questions for me?" He leaned back in his seat and laid his arms across the back of the couch. "I was hoping for something a bit more original from you, Miss… What was your name?"

"Evie."

"Yes. Well, Evie, I do not remember the part of my contract that specified that I would have to tell you my life's story. Unless you have further use of me—"

I smirked, ignoring his dirty mental comment on the subject. "Actually, I do. Ben and I were wondering if you would be able to get rid of Cerebella as soon as possible. Tomorrow is the last full moon of the month." Everything seemed to be falling into place. Soon, I would get rid of the annoying Miss Know-It-All and not too long afterward I'd be rid of both of those stupid Originals and back to the West where I belonged.

"I would be delighted to. But first, I would like you to answer a question for me." He took my silence as an agreement and continued. "How is it that you ended up with these… circumstances?" Eloquent as he was trying to be, he didn't quite reach the mark. _Pregnant vampire-witch? Human friends?_

"I told you already. Besides, where does it say in the contract that Ihave to tell you _my_ life's story?"

He grinned. "Touché." With that, he got up and walked out of the room.

Four or five hours later, everyone from the hunting party returned including the butt-load of werewolves that didn't seem so eager to step foot onto a vampire's turf. Ben informed me that everyone else agreed with the plan to kill Cerebella and that gave me the okay to send Patrick and the others to the basement to do the job. We decided that would be the best way to contain them while they were in their wolf forms—which Patrick hastily agreed to and the others of his pack groaned in disapproval. But, of course, his word was law and they all filed down the stairs. I followed to lock the door behind them as they piled into the small section passed the threshold that was unreachable by the vampire inside the force field. They would be safe from her until the last moment. Then their instincts would kick in and they would kill her and—consequently—get stuck inside the magical barrier.

The plan was put into action. Around midnight, the sounds of humans calling out in pain came before the frightening howls of wolves. Seconds after, shredding was heard. The wolves gnashed their teeth against the hard bones that cracked under pressure, the flesh tearing and seeping blood everywhere.

It was awful. I hated Cerebella more than anything else in the world—besides her brother—but I would never wish such agony on anybody. The noises petrified me so powerfully that Damon took it upon himself to embrace me and speak with me softly and lovingly until it was finally over.

Who could say if it was hormones or other factors that made me weep, but my faced dripped with tears that covered the part of Damon's chest that I was leaning against. It had to be something due to this strange pregnancy. Even with my dislike for death, I had never cried so much in my entire lifetime, alive or otherwise.

Damon stroked my hair and my back in between my shoulder blades. He had been hoping to "make some noise" but I had warned him on the way to Wolfcrest that _it_ was something I wasn't willing to do in a house with his brother, a vampire who could hear through walls. Though his case was a lost cause, it didn't mean he couldn't think about it. Every brush of his hand down my spine made me want to beat him up. Part of him claimed it was a comforting gesture, which was true. The other half knew it was also to get some kind of reaction out of me. Too bad it wasn't working. No, really. I would have loved to do anything if it meant that I didn't have to lay there and cry like a big baby who couldn't be self-reliant.

The sobs ended as did the staggered, heavy breathing. All that was left was the overwhelming exhaustion that threatened to drag me under. I didn't want to let it. I wanted to remember this night in a positive light and tried my best to memorize all the uplifting points of the day. Patrick was a good man from what I could tell. He was a wonderful new asset to the team. Cerebella was gone and would never harm another human being ever again. Damon was a spectacular husband and the only one who could sit there and care for me enough to comfort me constantly. All in all, it was a pretty good night.

My mind now at ease, my eyes shut and I smiled, cuddling ever closer to the man I married for all eternity. "I love you."

He kissed the top of my head and I could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, "I love you, too."

In that moment, we fell asleep in each other's arms, blissfully in love and thankfully unconscious.


	8. Chapter 8: Freak Out

Chapter Eight:

Freak Out

"Oh—"

"My—"

"God!"

Ian, Ben, and Cal surrounded me as Damon tried to walk me to the couch. As I sat down, they stood there in awe, watching my stomach as if it was supposed to do a whole song and dance routine.

"You're huge!" Ben exclaimed, his eyes permanently on my belly.

Damon swiftly spun around and snapped at him. "Hey, that's my wife you're talking about, Houdini!" _Why, I ought to—!_

I delicately placed my hand on his forearm. "Damon, it's okay. I'm almost as freaked out as they are. It was a bit unexpected." One minute I had a bit of a baby bump and the next I had to be escorted to my seat because I could no longer seem to stay balanced with the enormous watermelon weighing me down in front. What was remarkable was the fact that this had happened literally overnight. _Your reaction was way worse by far. _I replayed the moment in my mind for Ben to observe.

"_OH MY—! What the hell?! Evie, did you swallow a balloon?! What should we do?!"_

"_Damon, I'm fine… I think. It's just the baby. I think she had a growth spurt while we weren't looking." And I'll try not to get offended by the fact you thought I swallowed a balloon._

Ben was rolling on the floor from how hard he was laughing. "Ha, ha! I can't believe you thought she had swallowed a balloon! 'What should we do?!' Ah ha, ha, ha, ha!"

My husband wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and set down my hot cocoa on a coaster before he sat down beside me, giving a death glare to the boy dust mop. _Can I hit him now? What about now? What about now? Is now a good time? Now? What about now?_

I clutched Damon close to me and placed my hand on his stomach. "Leave him alone. He'll behave himself soon enough." I grinned. "It was kind of funny though, honey."

"Oh, great. You're siding with him? Whose side are you on, anyway?"

With a beam I replied, "Mine."

He nodded and tried his best to stretch his arms around my globe-sized belly. _Fine, I'm relaxing. Look at me relax. I'm the epitome of all things relaxed._

I giggled and turned to the others who were quizzically sitting down on the seat across from us.

_How could she blow up like that overnight?_

_Is this thing even human?_

_Will it have fangs and a tail?_

My gleeful expression changed into distress. _Ben, make them stop. Call them out on it or something._

Ben was always good at doing as I asked. It was one of his spectacularly awesome traits. "Hey, you guys. If you're going to talk smack about Evie and Damon's baby, at least do it out loud." He sat up and leaned his back up against my legs. "Stupid poofs," he muttered more unobtrusively.

_Thanks._

_No problem. Do you really think I'm awesome?_

"I wasn't talking bad about the baby," complained Ian in a defensive manner. "I was merely wondering if the thing—" He was quick to correct himself. "I mean, if _she_ is human or not. For all we know, it could be a little vampire or half fish. A supernatural creature would help explain how Evie's womb expanded like that overnight."

"You think she's going to be a fish?" I sniffed, picturing me and my husband trying to raise a little guppy. "What are you trying to say?"

Damon soothed me with a gentle touch and turned his glare onto Ian. "It has to be human, of course. Remember, I told you. I heard the kid's heartbeat. It couldn't be anything but human. Right?" He was willing to give the man one more chance to live, depending on whether he chose his next words carefully and correctly.

"Yes, right. Of course. What else could it be…?" Ian took the hint and backed off the subject.

"Are you sure?" Cal asked. "Not everything with a heartbeat is human, and it could be a vampire or a squid or whatever else you could think of. It's not exactly like this whole two-vampires-and-a-baby thing is an everyday happenstance. If it were, that would be…" His mind wondered, back to the days where it was me and him instead of his brother and me. Finally he found the adjective he was looking for, however ineloquent. "Weird."

"Cal, shut up, man! You're making her upset!" Damon was having trouble helping me keep it together as it was and his little brother's comments were only burning fuel for the fire of dismay.

Disrupting the flow of the downward spiral of a conversation, Ben abruptly twisted his torso around and knelt so he could place his ear on my stomach.

Damon was about to tear of his head. "Hey! What the hell are you doing with my wife?!"

"Shh," Ben encouraged.

"Don't tell me to—!"

"SHH!"

_What _are_ you doing? _I patiently inquired. _This does look a bit strange, all things considered._

He glanced up at me. _Do I have to tell you, too? Shh. I'm trying to listen._ Closing his eyes, he waited with curious intent for whatever it was he was trying to do.

His thoughts weren't clear enough to give me a good idea and my inhuman heart raced in anticipation—at least, it would have if it could beat at all. Whatever it was, it certainly had to be good enough to justify the position he was putting me in right now. Otherwise, I would have to ask him to quit it before I got the axe from Damon.

Everyone was still as stone while Ben continued to stay there with his ear at my stomach. No one knew what he was doing but they all respectfully waited in silence, choosing to think exclamations instead.

_What the hell is this guy doing?_

_Dude, if he doesn't move in like three seconds, Damon's probably going to rip his head off._

_If witchy doesn't move in three seconds, I'M GOING TO RIP HIS HEAD OFF! How dare he be that close to my wife without my permission! She's taken! Doesn't he know that? I'm going to slaughter him! What the hell, man! That dude is in so much—_

Moments of this agonizing back and forth comments and declarations passed before Ben tilted his head back and grinned. _I can hear her thoughts. She's big enough that her brain has already developed as it should in a newborn. She can understand everything we're saying._

"Out loud," my husband ordered through gritted teeth.

They met each other's scowling faces and my best friend spoke. "As I was saying," he continued on, almost as if no one had said anything. "She doesn't seem to like the loud noises. She also doesn't quite understand what you mean by 'fish' but she knows that she isn't one. It's hard to make out but I think she's wondering why nobody talks to her."

Ian shook his head and folded his arms, skeptical of Ben's abilities. "Yeah right, kid. You're just making this stuff up."

Ben channeled me into his inner most thoughts where the comments from my unborn child remained, temporarily forgetting that I could do it all on my own.

As I listened closely for her mind, I found nothing, heard nothing. My brow furrowed in concentration but still nothing happened. "I can't hear her," I replied.

_Mommy? Is that you?_

Our eyes lit up, Ben and I, and we beamed at the mental voice.

"Yes, it's me, honey. It's Mommy. I'm here."

_Hi, Mommy. I love you. Thank you for talking to me._

"I love you, too, my darling. Will you be joining us soon?"

_A little while longer now. And then Mommy and I can play together!_

Damon and the others—Ben excluded—gave me that stare again like I was crazy. "What's going on, Evie? Who are you talking to?"

_Is that Daddy? I love you, Daddy. Daddy and I can play together, too, right? We will! All three of us!_

I smiled and kissed my love's tender lips. "It's her, Damon. It's really her. I can hear her thoughts in my head like they're my own. I didn't really notice it was her until Ben pointed it out." I giggled as I mulled over her happy tidings. "She recognizes our voices, yours and mine. She says she loves you. I wish you could hear her, too."

Damon kept on looking at me, disbelieving everything he'd heard. "But that can't be, can it? What does she sound like?" _Human?_

I shrugged. "I can't really tell what her voice sounds like. I guess baby's voices are different because they've never actually spoken before. She sounds human, though. It's all in English, like a default tone on a voicemail message, but it's not unique in any way." I glared at Ian, making him want to regret his decision to speak badly about my family. "She sure doesn't sound like a fish, though."

"Oh my God, Evie. I didn't mean it like that," Ian complained.

"Basically," Ben said, interrupting Ian's retort. "What we're trying to say here is that the kid is not an alien or whatever else you guys are thinking she is. She's just a baby girl. Human. There's nothing to worry about here, at least not from the kid. So shut up about it."

_Move_, I instructed mentally. _We should really go help the werewolves out of the force field. They've already been in there all night and they're on pretty thin ice with us about it. Let's not make it cracked ice. _I stood up after he got away from my legs and grasped Ben's helping hand. "We're gonna go let the dogs out. You guys better make yourselves scarce. We don't want to overwhelm our guests. You three should check out the rumors going around town. See if Alphaeus has poked his head out yet."

Damon wrapped himself around me, his very expressive yet silent answer. _Hell no._ "Evie, I'm not leaving you alone again. I told you back at the house that I was never going to leave your side again. I've already had to more than I like and I'm not about to go kill time searching for a crazy guy when I could be here with you. No way." He seemed very adamant about it, more so than before.

By the words and his tone, I could tell he was sincere and I never really wanted him to go. With a nod, I untangled myself from his hold.

His face fell as he thought I was denying him.

The expression changed to a grin when I took his hand and led the two of them towards the basement. "You two be safe. Come straight back when you hear something." Not bothering to hear any sort of reply to the statement, I continued down the stairs with my two accomplices and stepped in front of the cell to open the door of the room full of guys … Naked guys.

Patrick was at the front of the pack, standing by the barrier's edge. Naked. "Would you mind getting my duffle bag from behind the couch? I must have left it there by mistake as I was being rushed down here."

My love came up behind me and covered my eyes with his hand. "Witchy. Go get the puppies their clothes." A moment of silence fell. "Now!"

"Yes, sir." _Mr. Hoity Toity._

Amongst the pack, I remembered seeing a woman for the few seconds I was permitted to see. I reached back behind me and tried my best to shield his eyes from the sight. My recollection of his past behavior was only too fresh and I didn't want him getting any ideas.

Ben returned with the bag and tossed the bag through the barrier. "As soon as everyone's dressed, we'll take down the shield so you guys can get out." _Oh god… I think I saw something move._ "Dude, hurry up and cover your junk."

With my other hand I blocked his sight and waited for the okay from the Alpha male to let go. Somehow, we had ended up playing the funniest version of Twister I'd ever seen. I was blocking both of the boys' eyes while both of them were blocking mine. It was a little more complicated than it sounds, but we managed to get all unknotted so Ben and I could tend to our trapped tenants.

I didn't know the spell but Ben was really patient with me as I tried to work it out. However, the wolves weren't as easygoing about it. They were all cursing and mumbling bad sentiments under their breath, eager to get the heck out of the cramped space. Patrick did his best to settle them down, knowing full well that if they didn't shut up we could easily leave them there to soak up the agitation as they pleased. Many of their backburner thoughts surrounded my swollen belly while the forefront remained judgmentally impatient. Their thoughts didn't really change after we got them out, merely diluting in intensity. They felt they had several other reasons to be pissed at me and the other vampires of the household. Working for the enemy wasn't the first thing they planned on doing when they got out of bed yesterday morning.

Once released from their prison cell, the wolves pushed past me and my companions and headed upstairs. The only one who stayed behind to thank us was their commander and chief.

"Thank you, kindly. It was getting a bit heated in there this morning." _You were a little late letting us out. What happened this morning, anyway? And why are you so pregnant? I do not recall you being that pregnant before. Is that a new look you are trying out, trying to see how you will like being that pregnant later on? I suspect not but that would be something, would it not._

In the back of his mind, Patrick was thinking about the events we had missed this morning while we were being more concerned with our own affairs. Sometime around sunrise, as the others were sleeping, they had transformed back into their human selves, eight guys and one girl. Normally, the pack stayed in separate areas during their transformation as not to be prone to seeing each other's flesh bodies. The shock of being clumped together in such a tight enclosure made everyone anxious; mostly to leave but others were anxiously influenced by a different kind of emotion. As they awoke, many panicked not so much at the sight of those of their own gender but by seeing the only girl in the pack. It changed their way of seeing her. She always acted like a tomboy, trying to fit in with the crowd. Seeing her completely stripped of all that deceptiveness, it was like meeting her for the very first time all over again.

"_Guys, lay off! Turn around, or I'll slug you in the freakin' face! I'm not joking!"_

"_Leave her alone,"_ Patrick warned the others. _"Connie deserves just as much respect as the rest of you."_ He watched as she huddled up in a corner and tried her best to cover herself with the scraps of cloth that were lying around on the floor amongst the pieces that were left of the Original vampire called Cerebella. He also noticed one of the pack members who was still enamored by her appearance. _"Martin, face the wall and give the woman her space." _His remaining amount of patience was gone and he was forced to use his authoritative tone, the kind that finalized the command without further encouragement.

Martin's eyes widened for a moment like he was being compelled and slowly dilated back to normal. _"Yes, sir."_

_So that's how it works._ Before that moment, I had never fully understood how something could be ordered of his pack and they suddenly had to obey as if it was their idea. It could only be the Powers of compelling. Nothing else had that kind of reaction out of people. From that, I also better understood why Patrick tried his best to refrain from using that tone. It was so easily triggered and that kind of power had to be tantalizing, enough to make one realize how dangerous it was.

"You're welcome," I finally replied out loud. "I'm sorry it took so long. We were dealing with a little drama of our own this morning…" _And you guys completely slipped our minds_, I added honestly.

"That is quite alright. You came to get us and that is all that matters presently." He bent down and kissed my hand like a gentleman… In fact, it was kind of weird to behold as I was not accustomed to such treatment on a regular basis. He grinned and proceeded with his speech of gratitude and then the question that was gnawing at him. "Have we heard anything from the Original?"

I shook my head. "We have our scouts on the lookout for any rumors or people who might have seen him. We'll have to wait and see when they return to get the 4-1-1."

He nodded with an absent mind. "Sounds good." He glanced back at the shredded, bloody pieces all over the cell floor. "Would you like us to clean up?" _I had not intended such a mess but boys will be boys._

"We couldn't let you do that. You're guests here."

"No," he insisted. "It would be our pleasure. I will have someone on this right away. You three relax. I am sure you have other matters to attend to." He was looking at my stomach as he said this.

The four of us went back upstairs to the living room where the others were sitting around, having a laugh like they were one big happy family. It appeared like there was a lot of ridiculing going on towards one specific member of the pack, the man named Martin who had been chastised for staring at their female member.

The very second that Patrick entered the room, the ridiculing ceased and the pack sort of bowed their heads as if they were waiting for another violent command. They were like puppies moping after they realized they had done something wrong, something the master wouldn't like. Actually, these were his thoughts exactly.

"What is going on?" he demanded, refraining from using his Alpha voice.

A man called Kris stood as the representative of the rowdy bunch. "We were just having a bit of fun with Martin for what he did earlier. Nothing serious."

Patrick walked up to Kris, grabbed the collar of his shirt with both hands and shook him once. "He is your family, you idiot. Joke around all you want but do not make it personal. We need to stay focused on the mission and keep our ties strong, not cheapen them with harsh banter. Act your age, Kris." He glowered at the others to remind them they were also at fault. "All of you, remember what we are doing here and quit acting like a bunch of idiots. Rick, Jeremy, and Kris." He listed their names off as he smirked at the man still in his grasp. "You guys are on clean-up. I want that cell spotless before the hour is over. Get to it. As for the rest of you, I expect you to remain civil while we are here. Do I make myself clear?" He released Kris and stepped outside for a breather.

Jeremy got up from his perch on the arm of the loveseat and socked Kris in the shoulder. "Way to go, genius. Now I have to mop up vamp guts."

"Yeah," said Rick, following his twin brother's movements. "He's lucky I don't shove them down his throat."

"Guys, shut up," ordered Terrance. "Patrick gave you a job, so go do it."

The twins rolled their eyes and led their unfortunate comrade down to the cellar to complete their appointed task.

Damon chuckled and sat with me on the loveseat. "That was interesting. Are you guys always so close?"

"A lot of our pack was assembled while they were at a young age. The twins turned when they were sixteen. Connie here turned when she was fourteen. The boss was the youngest transformation that I've ever heard of." Terrance seemed impressed as he relayed the information about his leader.

"How old was he?" I asked.

"I was eight," Patrick replied as he returned to the room.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't think—"

Patrick held up a hand to stop him. "It's alright, Terrance. You were merely answering their questions." He stood near the fireplace and stared into the flames like they were telling a story. "On my eighth birthday, I was given a brand new remote control car. It was a gift from my favorite grandfather. I was playing with it in my room all by myself because I knew my little sister would be trying to bother me to see if she could take it from me. She was always trying to grab the attention when it was not centered on her. I had stepped out of the room for just a second to get a snack from the kitchen. When I got back, the toy was gone and I knew where it was right away. I ran into Leslie's room and grabbed the controller out of her hands. She followed me out into the hallway and we struggled to fight for a grip on the remote. As I tried to get her away, she tripped backwards and fell down the stairs and…broke her neck at the bottom. It was an accident but it is traumatic for a boy of eight, seeing your little sister lifeless on the floor…"

There wasn't a peep from anyone. No one wanted to break his concentration or attempt to comfort him when he was obviously still wounded over this ordeal. I wanted to run up to him and give him a bolstering hug but it was hard for me to get up.

_Evie reminds me a lot of Leslie. I feel responsible for her as if she was my own flesh and blood. I cannot let any harm come to her._

Regardless of the embarrassment that was sure to come from the deed, I got to my feet and waddled over to his side to give him that hug. "I'm sorry about what happened. That must have been really hard for you."

He was surprised by my display of affection, however motherly. His heart could have won a chariot race if it had legs of its own.

All of a sudden, the light coming in from the window touched my skin and it burned like nothing I had ever felt before. I sped into a corner of the room and clung to the walls for dear life.

"Evie, what's happening?" Damon quickly flashed over to my side and peered down at my skin as it healed back to normal. He checked my hand for my daylight ring which was still in place on my right middle finger. "Hey, witchy! Get over here!" _Did he mess up? It's not that hard to enchant a simple daylight ring._

Ben approached us and was startled when my wonderfully over reactive husband tugged him down to his level. "What did I do this time?" _Whether I actually did it or not._

Damon's eyes were rabid. "Did you mess up on Evie's daylight ring?"

"No, why?"

"Because it's not working, you dumb ass!"

"What's going on?" Patrick asked as he too joined us in the corner of the room.

I grinned half-heartedly, trying to reassure him of the situation's benign nature. "I'm fine. Everything's alright. There's just a little misunderstanding, that's all." _I have no idea what's going on anyway. Might as well not let him worry about it._

_But what could be the problem? _Ben wondered. _I can feel the ring's energy. It's perfectly fine._ He glanced down at my stomach again. _Maybe it's something to do with the baby?_

"No offense, but you are not really the most convincing person right now. I saw your hands burn like they were tinder. What happened?"

Damon's head whipped around before he stood to block the werewolf's gaze. "Vampires can't step into the sun, except for those that have a daylight ring made of onyx that's been enchanted by a witch." He displayed his own daylight ring, complete with an onyx stone which bore the Moretti family crest. "For some reason that the witch boy won't tell me, Evie's isn't working." With an irritated grunt, he kicked Ben in the side, barely enough to leave a mark but enough to stun him at the very least.

_Play with me_, my daughter's voice chanted. _Play with me! Play with me!_

"It's not his fault!" I shouted as it all pieced together. "It's the baby. She seems to think that she's just playing. I don't think she understands what she's doing. I think she might be a witch, too, just like me and Ben."

My love returned to my side and rubbed my stomach soothingly. "It's not nice to play tricks on Mommy. What you're doing is hurting her and you don't want that, do you?" He paused as if she would answer him directly.

After a minute or two had passed, our daughter responded apologetically. _I'm sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to play. Tell Daddy I'm sorry._

I smiled. "She says she's sorry."

Damon mirrored my expression and gave me a kiss. "Here, let me help you up." He got back to his feet and took my hand to bring me upright, steadying my wobbly legs.

Right at about the same time, Cal and Ian came through the doorway and blinked at the aftermath of the commotion.

"What happened?" Cal asked, his eyes on me. _I still can't get over that stomach of hers. She looks hot even when she's pregnant! Is that wrong…? Nah! It's true. It would be lying to think otherwise. But, seriously. She looks all… I don't know, I guess she seems kind of manic like she was overexerting herself—which would never happen with my "oh-so-perfect," "bad ass" brother around, that stupid—_

"I had some trouble with my daylight ring. Everything's okay now."

"Oh," he said, nodding as his mind was elsewhere. "Good."

For the first time in forever, I missed my best friend Tara. Having all of these werewolves around and with all of this baby business, I could almost picture her right smack in the middle of everything. She would be next in line after Damon to hold her once she's born and to help me whenever I needed anything. She would have been the perfect equalizer will all of these testosterone heavy guys all cluttered together under one roof. I missed her so much, almost the same amount as I missed my family. Right now, I knew what she would say. Her comments would be surrounding how adorable this baby was going to be and all of the little human details of my life would come to light. I needed my friends back. I needed my husband back.

Damon was in this stupid, unexplainable rut where he felt like he had to be so darn overprotective all of the time. He was suffocating me with all of these decisions he was making for me. Whenever anyone would try to come within the customary five feet, he would put the fear of God in them and send them running in the other direction. If he thought a certain place or activity wasn't safe, he'd do whatever it took to keep me from doing it, even if it meant taking away my freewill. I loved him more than anyone else in the world, but he was driving me stark, raving mad. If he didn't stop what he was doing soon, I was going to explode.

Ian didn't believe my claims as Patrick had disregarded them before but he had more pressing news to deliver. "I'm sorry that something went wrong but you've got to hear this." He took the newspaper from his back pocket and held it in his hand. "I was walking around town when I saw some old guy reading this on a street corner." He slammed the paper down on a nearby table and waited for us to come closer.

Damon, Ben, and Patrick went to take a look at the information he had found and grew silent. None of the werewolves moved to see what the matter was and I couldn't get up from my seat, so I needed someone to tell me.

"What is it?" I asked impatiently, squirming to keep from losing my balance in the simple sitting position.

Ben looked over at me with eyes of horror. "A massacre."

My husband was a little more level-headed, still angry but rational enough to get down to business, and read the article aloud. "Small towns all over America have been targeted by what the authorities are calling a copycat mass murderer. Bodies were found piled high on curbs, lit ablaze. The Federal Government is taking interest in the case but is unwilling to comment at this time. The only thing this reporter was able to find from the coroner in Piedmont, Ohio was a surprising if not horrifying detail. All of the bodies that have been discovered on these raids were completely drained of blood…" He couldn't read anymore and glanced over at me to see how I was taking the news.

"Vampires," Patrick scoffed. "I understand why you need our help. How many bodies does it say they have recovered?"

Damon skimmed the article. "More than a thousand bodies have been identified and more have been reported missing."

The gloomy expression on the Alpha's face told me something was even more wrong than anyone could have anticipated. "Raising an army, you said?"

"That'll be the missing folks, I imagine," commented Ian. "It looks like they're just taking people off the streets along the way. How many do you think they have so far?" he asked Damon.

He shook his head. "It's hard to tell. It depends on whether Al is taking part in the killings or if he's just supervising. He could easily take out a few hundred humans, but if he's acting as a talent scout, I imagine he's got at least… a couple dozen, no more than that though." He peered back at his brother. "What did you dig up?"

The younger Moretti shrugged. "Nothing."

Damon slammed the paper on the table and turned to face him. "Nothing? Don't you think you should be keeping your eye on the ball here? We kind of you need you on planet Earth."

"I'm standing right here, aren't I? Besides, I'm the one that called you."

Patrick sensed the contention about to arise and he helped me up. _Do what you do best and sate this brothers' lust for controversy before a battle ensues._

He'd pretty much read my mind. I tugged on the edge of Damon's shirt and let my eyes tear up from the sincere despair I felt from hearing about mass murder. "Damon."

Coming to my rescue, he calmed down immediately and hugged me close. "It's okay, Evie. I won't let him get to you." _Either of them._

_And the curious girl does it again. Bravo_, praised the Alpha. He figured it was a woman's touch that gave me the power I possessed. Nothing else could be as potent to a man than this.

Despite all of their beliefs,—except for Damon's and Ben's, one because he was my husband and the other because he wasn't an idiot—I was truly distraught. It was merely an act for those occasions when I needed to whip the Morettis into shape. My tears bled continuously because my nightmares were coming true and that meant the future for all mankind wasn't looking too bright. Neither was mine, for that matter.

"She's right, Damon," said Ben as he tried to keep everyone on topic. _I got this. _"What are we going to do? We can't let Alphaeus continue to kill off humanity." _And that would royally suck, no pun intended._ He didn't mean to joke, this was a serious matter, but he recognized what he had said and understood where humor could be found.

I wasn't in the mood and continued to allow my love to embrace me in comfort. I looked up into his eyes and paused for an answer.

He stroked my cheek and pondered. _I don't know, Evie._ "From the looks of it, it sounds like Alphaeus is working in close proximity to the area. All of the towns mentioned are within a three hundred and fifty mile radius from Wolfcrest. He's keeping his distance without leaving perimeter he's created."

"Well, that's something, I guess," replied Ben, even though that's not exactly what he was looking for. He was hoping for more of a game plan than an analysis of the Original's. _I don't think he knows what we're going to do about him. We might need to prepare for the worst._


	9. Chapter 9: Alone at Last

Chapter Nine:

Alone at Last

Midnight approached and all of the werewolves were corralled in the cellar once again. Tonight would be the last full moon and it was better to keep them contained during their transformation. Ben and Ian went home once the pack was locked up tight while we vampires retired to our rooms. There had been enough craziness for one day and it was time for the monsters to sleep.

Well, all except for this adorable couple of vampires, that is. Damon and I got changed for bed and slipped under the covers. Then we stared into each other's eyes. That's when he realized something was up.

"Evie, what's wrong?"

I closed my eyes and pretended I was already on my way to dreamland. "Nothing. Go to sleep."

He held me close and tickled my nose with the tip of his finger until I complied. "Evelyn Anastasia Moretti, you can't lie to me. I know you too well for that. So tell me what's bothering you and I'll fix it." He pressed his lips to mine and waited for my response.

Phrasing things nicely was never my strong suit but I tried my best to explain myself. "You've been acting sort of rude lately, I mean more than your usual snarky behavior that I find immensely charming on a normal day." I was also worried about the recent killings, but he knew that already so I didn't think to reiterate that detail.

"What do you mean?" he asked as if he had no idea what I was talking about. He did.

"You interrogate everyone who wants to speak to me the moment they come within a few feet of me. You kick Ben around like he's a soccer ball and whenever Cal looks in my direction, you stare him down like he's not worthy to look at my face. You're kind of acting ridiculous and overprotective and it's getting annoying." I suppose that wasn't the nicest way to put it but I was running out of options for word choices. Pregnancy brain reduced my vocabulary by at least a quarter.

Damon laid there for a moment in awe of my psychotic outburst. "I'm sorry but I'm just trying to keep you safe. You and this baby mean a lot to me. You're my whole world and I don't want anything to happen to either of you."

"Then don't you think I should be able to prepare myself? Ben has been trying to teach me ways to be useful in a fight and with a raving lunatic on our tails that might not be such a bad idea. I know you want to protect me but so do the others. No one wants to see anyone else die. But you can't keep me safe by locking me up in a steel bubble and throwing away the key."

_Do they make steel bubbles? _"I just don't think you should be practicing magic while you're… you know, pregnant. You're in a fragile state right now and you never know what may happen because of a spell gone awry." _Buying one of those might come in handy._

I glared at him. "You're not sticking me in a steel bubble, Damon." I tangled my fingers in his hair. "All I'm saying is I should have the right to make my own decisions like what I do and who I talk to and I don't think it's just about the baby, either. You've been acting this way since we got before you proposed to me." _If I had known you would be this way…_

"Do you not want to be with me anymore?" _Is it Cal?_ _Ben? Wolf guy?_

"NO! Damon, no! It's not that at all. I told you I want to be with you forever and we will be together always. But you need to ease up on the jealousy act. Not every person who wants to talk to me wants to attack me."

_I'm more worried about them doing something else._

My hormonal, malfunctioning brain rewound back to the afternoon where Cal and I were alone. Five seconds was all it took for him to try and get me to sleep with him—even though I was pregnant, which I thought made the situation even more awkward. _I suppose he has a point but it's not like they're going to jump me right then and there, while he's sitting right next to me. Cal's not that stupid._

He measured my expression and guessed at its meaning. "I'm going to kill him. Did my brother try to have sex with you?"

Oh, my husband and his ability to say things straightforward. "I guess, but—"

"YOU GUESS! How can you 'guess' something like this? Did he or didn't he?"

"He did, but—"

"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!" He went to get up, but I pulled him back towards me.

I put my hands on either side of his face and kissed him as hard as I could. "But I wouldn't let him," I said, finishing both of my previous attempts.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his face slightly squished in my hold.

I giggled. "He tried to get me to do it but I wouldn't let him."

He scratched his head. "How'd you manage that one?"

His faith in me was stifling. "I pushed him away. Just because someone else has their mind set on making me do something doesn't mean I'm going to sit there and take it." I kissed him again. "I love you, no matter how thick-headed you are sometimes. And I'm not going to go sleep around because one or more guys decide that they want me. It's not up to them who I spend time with. It's up to me and I say that this part of me will only be shared with you and nobody else. Got it, Mr. Moretti?"

He touched his lips to the nape of my neck. "I think I'm starting to." His hand lay gently on my ginormous belly. "Just think, in no time we're going to be worrying about a little girl."

"And you're going to be deathly afraid of every boy that comes near her," I chuckled. I could imagine it clearly without giving the thought any effort whatsoever.

"Yeah, well, you can't expect any less from me. It's a dad thing."

My hands locked together behind his head. "Sure, blame it on being a dad but we both know it's just you." Before I could think about what I was saying, one question burst from my throat. "What are we going to do once this whole ordeal blows over?" As a matter of fact, I'd been thinking about it a lot over the past few days. Leading a normal life as a couple of vampires with a baby never seemed possible and I wanted to know what this would mean for our future.

"I don't know. Probably just what we were doing before, plus all of the stuff normal parents do." _I don't see why it would be any different._

"But what about when she grows up? What are we going to tell everybody we talk to when they see us with her when she's our age? What's going to happen when she grows old?" My eyes watered as I recognized the possibility that my own flesh and blood would pass away right before those very eyes. One day, she'd be there and we'd be a happy family and the next she would be a grown woman. Her life would be so insignificantly tiny compared to our long-lasting lifespans. Now I knew why vampires never had children. It would be horrible, an eternal life filled with so much pain and suffering and loss.

He held my face. "Evie, we don't know she'll grow old. We're still not sure what exactly comes with the territory of being parents to a baby conceived by two vampires. Some of these things we'll have to wonder about later. For now, remember all of the good things that could happen. You can't strike out before we've even begun playing the game. Besides, you don't want to freak her out. She doesn't need to think about stuff like that."

As usual—or what was usual on a rare occasion—Damon was right. I was practically killing her off before she had the chance to live her life. Pessimism was apparently the flavor of the day.

Understanding my absolute surrender, he attached himself to me and we made the most of our time alone. Once unconsciousness fell upon me like a bag of bricks, I entered a state of mind where all of my questions could be answered.

I was standing in the kitchen of our home, mixing up a batch of pancake batter from scratch—which was odd because my current cooking abilities were limited.

As I stood there, a young girl around sixteen or seventeen years old entered the room and plopped herself down in one of the chairs. Like her thoughts weren't speaking loud enough, she sighed and leaned her head in her hands on the counter.

"Boy trouble?" I asked, setting down the bowl before I sat down across from her.

"Yeah," she replied with a tone that reeked of unfortunate circumstance. _Stupid Kyle Wrotham won't shut up. He keeps telling everybody we're dating even though I've spoken to him like once. Honestly, I'm going to sock him in the jaw if he doesn't straighten out pretty soon. Or I could light him on fire. Either one works._

"Tara Lynn Moretti, your father and I have warned you about even thinking of using your powers on someone."

She sighed again. "Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean it's not a good idea." _If Kyle keeps saying that to people, eventually Stephen is going to hear the rumor and he'll never ask me out like he thought he should. _She noticed the thought had slipped and she quickly stood to defend herself. "You can't tell me I'm not allowed to spy on people's thoughts, either. It's not like I can help it." _Except for yours, thank God. Who knows what weird things you and Dad think about? All that mushy love stuff, probably._

I felt my eyebrows come together. "You can hope and wonder about a guy asking you out on a date but you still call the bond between your father and I 'all that mushy love stuff?' You make absolutely no sense at all."

"Evie, I'm home," Damon sang to me from the foyer as he closed the front door behind him.

"We're in the kitchen," I called back with a smile as I beheld my daughter's rolling eyes, missing my experiences with teenage angst.

He stepped into the room and stopped in his tracks when he read Tara's body language. "Uh oh. Boy trouble, huh?"

I nodded and continued mixing the pancake batter. Then I tapped the whisk against the lip of the bowl and poured some of the mixture into the frying pan that was already waiting patiently on the stove.

"If you'd like, sweetie, I could take care of him." _And by that I mean I'll enjoy him as a nice midnight snack. All I have to do is get myself invited in and that kid is toast._

"I think we were going for something a little more subtle than that, babe."

He came over to my side and held my waist as he kissed me tenderly. _Suit yourself. But I love it when you call me that, though I thought my official nickname was "sexy." Although, that certainly suits you better, oh sexy wife of mine_.

"Oh, gross," Tara groaned. "Can you two not make out in the place where I eat?"

We grinned at each other and continued to play up the angle we already had laid out for ourselves.

"Oh, Evie. It's been too long," he confessed as he dipped me.

I pointed my toe straight up in the air like a professional dancer would. "Then let's not waste another moment with words." Then I eagerly touched my lips to his and made a horrible smacking noise. The two of us were having too much fun with this.

Eventually Tara just got up and walked away. _You two are beyond gross. No wonder you never let me bring anyone over. Who would want to see two old people making out? Not me, that's for sure and certainly not—_

Her thoughts were no longer audible once she closed her door. We had the walls of the bedrooms soundproofed so each of us could have a place where there was complete peace and quiet and no one had to worry about overhearing anybody else.

Once we were alone, Damon stood me up straight but refused to release me from his arms. "Well, Mrs. Moretti. It looks like we have our hands full."

"Any news from your brother?"

He grinned. "Nope. Isn't it great? We're completely alone, just me and you… and Tara."

I laughed at his candor. He didn't like his brother after what he had done and he couldn't think of a reason to hide it either. "You should really be nicer to your brother. Besides Tara and me, he's the only family you have. That's not a bond you should be willing to break so easily."

"I still can't get over what he did. I'll put on a happy face for Tara when he comes over for Christmas but you can't really expect that much more from me in that department."

I turned away from him and innocently flipped the pancake as if I hadn't done something I knew he was going to find out about eventually.

Measuring my face, he whipped me around and held my arms tightly. If I was still human, it would have hurt and then some. "What did you do?"

I beamed with the same angelic expression as before. "Oh, you know. I may have invited your brother over for a weekend at our house this Friday. Ben, too. Actually, he should be here"—the doorbell rang—"right now." I gave him a peck on the cheek and sped over to the door. "Hey, Fillmore." Three other people were standing right beside him, ones I recognized. "Oh, hey, Connie. Boys. It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you again, too," the twins greeted as they each gave me a hug and entered.

"Thanks for inviting us," said Connie.

"Anastasia."

I glared at Ben and hit him lightly on the arm for good measure. I closed the door just in time for Damon to join the party. "Hey, honey. Look who came to see us." Innocence was going to have to get me through the next hour or so if I was expecting to survive the night.

"Hey, guys. Glad you four could come." His half-hearted greeting was pathetic and lacked enough gusto to convince anyone.

Ben looked at me skeptically. _He didn't know, did he?_

_Nope. I kind of literally just told him._ "I'll go get Tara. Dinner should be ready soon." Without bothering to listen to what anyone else had to say, I bolted up the stairs to my daughter's room and knocked on the door. The thing about soundproof walls is no one can just say "come in" so we walk in without formal permission but knock first to warn the person that we're entering. "Hey, honey, Uncle Ben and his family are here. We should be eating pretty soon."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." She rolled over on her bed to face away from me and waited for me to close the door before she thought, _Those kids are really dorky looking._

"I disagree. Andrew and Dayton are nice." _Kind of handsome and manly for fifteen year olds which I suspect is because of the fact that they are both werewolves—or would-be werewolves, anyway. They have certainly grown up a lot since I saw them last Christmas._

"'Nice' is not the same as 'cute,' Mom." Tara rose from her bed with a hint of regret and followed me out.

The others had already migrated to the dining room so I sent her on ahead of me and headed for the kitchen to round up the pancakes Damon had been making while I was preoccupied. I chuckled when I heard the sudden shift in my daughter's thoughts. I had been expecting something of the sort.

_Oh, my gosh. They're so cute! Crap, they're identical twins… so that means I don't know which one to choose! That means I'm going to have to find out more about them and then I can decide._

Dayton's and Andrew's thoughts were in tune with hers. _Whoa… she certainly has changed since we last saw her. She's rocking the leather jacket, now. It's a nice touch that compliments her figure._

_Uh oh_, Ben thought as he collected the information unwillingly.

_This is going to get messy_, I warned him. _I don't know what Damon's going to do when he finds out._

_Ha, ha. He'll probably try to kill somebody. Don't worry, he'll be fine. He won't be able to get within a few inches of anyone if he plans on hurting them. The kids are wearing anti-fracas charms._

_Fracas?_

_Yup. I just like the word. Isn't it great? But, yeah. Ever since the kids have been showing more aggression signs from their werewolf genes, I gave them each an anti-_fracas_ charm to keep them from fighting. They've been working like… well they've been working like a charm. _He smiled at his wife as if nothing was going on. _It prevents them from getting angry, from harming anyone, and it prevents others from trying to harm them. Neat, right?_

_Yeah, you're a regular genius. Are you still wearing the ring I gave you?_

He nonchalantly put his hand through his hair, trying to show off the ring he wore on his left hand. _Yup._

_Good. Tara's been getting better and better at mindreading and I figured it would be more appropriate that way._

_You mean you want to be able to have a private conversation with me without your daughter overhearing._

I grinned and came in with the pancakes, sausage, bacon, and eggs. _Yup, pretty much. _I set the multiple platters of food down in the center of the dining room table and sat down beside my best friend and his son Dayton at one head of the table. Damon sat directly across from me with our daughter on his left. The fact that she was also sitting next to one of the boys would normally have made him hostile but he seemed to be taking it well, thank heaven.

Breakfast for dinner commenced and the small talk was plentiful. Ben and I were doing our best to lead the conversation and include the others. Tara was eager to finish the meal so that she and the boys could hang out in the living room away from our immediate gaze. Damon just wasn't really interested in speaking, but he tried to appear like he cared. As for Connie and the twins, they were quite good at keeping up appearances. Connie never really liked coming over to our house. Her basic instincts to stay away from vampires—or to kill them—were too strong and she often found herself leaving the room for a minute to breathe. The twins had a more simple underlying message to their brains that said we weren't safe, but they were smart enough to get over it. They all knew what Damon and I were and they didn't really care as long as we didn't eat them or anyone else.

It was funny listening to the boys talk. Andrew and Dayton always said their words in unison or at least finished each other's sentences. If someone asked them if they wanted more to eat, they would reply with an offhanded, "No, thank you." Sometimes they would even go off into their own little side conversations about things that no one else could understand unless you were reading their minds. It was like hearing bits and pieces of a real discussion but that was it. The meanings were lost.

Once dinner was over, Tara invited the twins to watch a movie with her in the parlor as I had suspected she might. They hastily agreed and followed her out of the room. The adults ventured off to the kitchen to continue our awkward banter.

With the dishes washed and the household ready to sleep, Connie and the twins were showed to their rooms and my family went to rest their heads for the night.

My best friend and I headed for the roof to enjoy the summer air. We held each other's hand as we normally did when we were alone and stared up at the stars. It wasn't that we were sneaking off on a wild adventure like a couple of weirdoes having an affair. No, that was for bozos who were never really in love. We simply knew that no one would ever understand our bond, the kind that a brother and sister who weren't actually related would have. Everyone always jumped to conclusions and assumed that we were like those guys who fool around.

Ben brought our hands up into the moonlight, examining my smooth skin, unchanged by the years I had been alive. His had wrinkles proving that humans were altered by the world around them over a span of thirty-six years. "Every time I see you, I forget that there are some of us who can never show their true age."

"I wish I could make others stop aging like I have. I hate that feeling I get, like in a few years no one else will be alive but I'll be left all alone with no one to care for."

"That's not true," he corrected. "You'll have Damon."

I chuckled. "I mean besides him. I just like having other people around. I guess I took advantage of everyone while I was alive. I always assumed that Aunt Fauna and you and Tara would be there with me until I was old enough to be alone but now they're all gone. All except for you."

He continued to turn my skin in the light. "I still have a few decades left in me. You'll have someone else to talk to for a while yet."

Thinking about him dying was making my heart jerk. "Let's talk about something else. How have you been? How are things in Wolfcrest?" _Any news from Aunt Fauna and Ian?_

"Same old, same old I suspect. Everyone still thinks you're dead and that's always interesting, trying to make sure the twins don't spill the beans about their Aunt Evie. There haven't been any vampires in the area since you guys left, besides Cal of course. He's been pretty quiet. Honestly, he's kind of mopey. He never stops thinking about you and he'll occasionally go out on a deer rampage in the woods. He has Ian and me go with him to make sure he doesn't do anything crazy but… he's pretty insane about you still. From what I can tell, he hasn't killed anyone yet but if he does, we're prepared. Ian and I have reassembled the council and beefed vampire security. Everything's quiet, thanks to the werewolves in the Hills. They're keeping Wolfcrest safe. They've gotten a few more recruits since last time. I think they're numbers are up to about thirty. They're collecting people from all over the country. It's weird how much has changed…" _Since the Moretti brothers came to town_, he finished.

My smile disappeared. "I know what you mean. It seems like everything that has happened did so because they came back that one day." I stopped thinking about it and went back to asking about the Wolfcrest update. "How's Grandma Rose?"

He didn't sound too keen to share but his mind did all the talking. _She's dead._

"I'm so sorry. How did it happen?" I asked as I turned to him and gave him a great, big hug.

Ben put his hand behind his head and wrapped the other arm around me. "Just old age, for once. Finally we know someone who left because it was their time to go. It never seems to end up that way around us, does it?"

I shook my head. "Guess not. Does that make us the plague?"

"Nope," he said. "Just monsters."

_Death, death, and more death. _"Ben."

"Yup?"

"Would you ever turn for me?"

He glanced down at my face. "Into a vampire?"

"Yeah. Would you?" _I don't want you to die like all the others._

He thought long and hard about it and finally decided. "Yeah, I suppose I would." He stared into my eyes and added, "I've thought about it before, you know. Turning into a vampire. After I saw you take off that one night when those Originals transformed you, I thought about it."

I propped myself up on my elbows to get a better look at him. "Why would you do that?" _Did you really want to be a vampire like Damon and Cal?_

"No, not like them." He brushed my cheek with his soft, warm human hand. _Like you._

_WHAT?! _It was an automatic reaction inside my brain and I couldn't stop it from going off like an alarm that warded off uncomfortable moments. "What do you mean?"

He turned on his side so he was looking directly at me and held me close, but not too much that he couldn't see my expression. "It was that moment that I realized that it was always supposed to be you and me, that our parents were right all along. When you ran away, part of me went with you and I couldn't stop thinking about you. Then you went off and married Damon and it made me want to explode. I honestly was grateful that it wasn't the two-bit hack, Cal, but it still wouldn't compute in my brain. Why the hell would you ever go off with him? For the longest time, he was the enemy. You never cared enough about him to let him kiss you let alone marry you. So I went and married someone else and tried to move on but it wasn't working because all this time it was you I was in love with." Electric feelings were coming off him in waves. You couldn't have gotten more signals from a satellite in space.

"I understand what you mean." _I do?_

"You do? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared, of Damon." _I was?_ What was happening? "I knew if I chose anyone else but him he would find me and burn me alive." _What?! That's a dirty rotten lie! What the heck is going on here?!_

He grinned, obviously unable to hear what I really thought about this. "Then let's make up for lost time." He spun his body around so he was right on top of me and then he freely pressed his lips to mine.

This was normally the part of a nightmare when a person would wake up screaming, but I wouldn't wake up. No matter what I thought or tried to say, I remained stuck with that image of Ben and me making out on the roof of my house in the light of the moon. It was the worst kind of torture anyone could ever put me through, worse than having all of my limbs cut off or bleeding to death. I wanted to carve out my eyes and my brain and feed them various animals to be sure that I would never have to see this image ever again.

As a human who still had to stop to breathe every once in a while, he lifted his head to take in my appearance. "You are eternally beautiful, you know that?"

I rolled us over until I was on top of him. "You could be too if you still want. I could even make sure you kept your powers. We won't even have to do all of the sacrifices like last time. Just a couple and you'll be just like me."

"Okay. Let's do it."

In the night, we tiptoed into the room where his wife lay sleeping and grabbed her, dragging her into my bedroom while she screamed. Then, in the dark, I chanted the words I had heard from the night I was transformed and had Ben drink my blood from my neck. With the blood in his system, I continued to chant as I took his life with my bare hands. Connie squealed and Damon tried to stop me but I snapped him in two and kept on going. Eventually Ben came to and we were able to finish it off without a hitch. The recipe called for a vampire sacrifice and we had one in stock. With my spell, Damon's body vaporized, turning first his skin and muscles and then his bones into ash. I nodded to Ben who willingly broke the werewolf's back in half before he plunged his teeth into her and drank every last drop. And then it was done.

I smiled as I looked into the eyes of my newly reborn lover.

He grinned that devilish grin that I often saw on Cal's or even Damon's face on occasion and then he locked our lips together in a passionate, never-ending kiss…

And then I screamed like there was no tomorrow, finally conscious.

I quickly turned to Damon and shook him repeatedly. "Damon, wake up! Damon, say something!"

To my delight, he opened his brilliant blue eyes and looked at me like I was a hormonal pregnant mess—and he was probably right. "Evie, what's going on? Are you okay? What happened?" He set his back up against the headboard and rubbed his eyes, not quite ready to be awake just yet.

"Nothing," I breathed as I shed a few uncontrollable tears. "I had a nightmare. I'm just glad it wasn't real."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he inquired, though he clearly wanted to go back to his dreamland.

I cuddled my head against his chest and took in a deep breath for everything it was worth. "No, you go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Eyes closed, I let my mind wander into his, taking in all the images from his dreams.

As he slipped back into his world of peace, I noticed it was a lot like mine in a lot of ways but extremely different in others.

Damon and I were sitting in the rose garden at his house and we were wearing clothes that would have been better suited for someone in the early nineteenth century. Beside us were his brother and the lady I recognized to be Cal's girlfriend back in the day, Marissa Blake. On the other side were his parents, happily sipping some four o'clock tea as was proper for people of their class and good breeding.

"Are the children not adorable when they are playing in the garden, Damon?" I said as I held his hand in mine.

"It is nothing compared to your beauty, my love." He stole a kiss and watched the children playing hide and go seek.

There were almost a dozen children in total, probably closer to ten. Six of them were Damon and mine and the other four belonged to Cal and his wife. There were children of varying ages all scattered about the rosebushes. Without thinking too much about it, he could list them all off by name. From the eldest there was Charity at age sixteen. She was out into society and causing all of the boys in town to swoon at her innocent beauty. Next was her fifteen year old brother Emory who was already a hit with the ladies. Hiram followed his brother but only by nine months so they were still technically the same age but not exactly. The last three were considerably younger and all girls. They were each about two years apart starting with Rebekah who was eight, Susanna who was six, and little Temperance who was no older than three.

It was Temperance who parted herself from the game to admire the splendor of the garden itself instead of what could be done in their solace of hiding places. She reached to pick one and accidentally pricked her finger on one of the thorns. Crying heavily, she rushed to her father and threw her arms around his legs, seeking comfort.

He scooped her up and peered down at her tiny finger. "Did you get hurt, my little darling?"

She shook her head violently, not quite understanding the question and presented her father with the bloody finger.

With a grin, he kissed her wound and carried her over to the bush she had been admiring. "Would you like a flower, little Temperance?" He plucked a tiny rosebud, one that was more willing to detach itself from the bunch, and placed it in her waiting hands.

Smiling up at him, she wrapped her arms around him as best she could and whispered. "I love you, Papa."

Even in a dream he was taken aback by the words. In the back of his mind, he had always imagined that there wasn't a single person in the world that could or should be able to love him. He was a monster, incapable of such affection and naturally others shouldn't be able to show such affection to him in return. But his subconscious was trying to let him know that he would always be loved by those who remained dear to him and, while he wasn't human like he was in his dreams, there was still a family waiting for him in his future.

I smiled at the scene that was playing out before me and fell asleep still sharing his world.


	10. Chapter 10: Silence

Chapter Ten:

Silence

The New Year had come and gone and no word had arrived about the vampire named Alphaeus, at least not by name. Whatever plan he was cooking up, he wasn't willing to let it go long enough to seek his revenge on his sister's killers. The message containing the merry song of Cerebella's death had spread from New York City to L.A. He may have been in the area, but he had preparations to make that wouldn't be interrupted by family matters. Apparently our gang was going to have to be a lot more thorough if we wanted results.

Damon and Ian set up their connections so if the big guy was in town, we would hear about it within the minute. I could only hope that, when he came, our system would actually work.

More newspaper articles and newscasts were featured about the recent attacks and many more were anticipated from the "copycat killer" they were now calling Dracula. If attention was what Alphaeus was going for, he got plenty of it. The death toll was up another digit and more people were reported missing. He must have known we were after him because in one of the more recent articles, a picture was printed on the front page of a body that lay in front of a message written on a wall in blood. "The age of the night will come. The great darkness is fast approaching." Again, we had no idea what his exact plans were but it didn't sound like he wanted to sit down with the humans and have a tea party.

Cal and I hadn't spoken since he tried to make a move on me more than a week ago. I guess there wasn't really anything to talk about. The two of us were never going to find common ground, especially not with Damon watching our every move. His little brother could tell he thought something was up. It was amazing how much they truly knew each other, and yet how little.

Ben saw the conflicting thoughts in my head and across my face like each one was painted there for everyone to see. My mind knew that in order to get my point across to Cal I was going to have to stay as far away from his as possible but my heart ached. He was my family and I was going to lose another person because of some stupid drama. If I could say something to him to make him understand, maybe we could see eye to eye. Ben knew better than that. Countless times he chided and reminded me that Cal would never stop loving me.

As for my dream, I stopped being able to look right into Ben's eyes. I never thought about it, choosing to focus my mind on other issues, but I kept feeling like he could still see. I didn't want this awkward, uncomfortable feeling to come between us. If only Tara were here, she would soften the moment with college trifles about how Charlie made her do something she didn't want to do because she just couldn't resist. She would know what to say, even if it was completely and utterly wrong. Whatever the words would be, they always made me feel better like at least there was one other person on the planet who was similar enough to me and yet so different. She was someone who I could depend on to make me feel human and that was all I ever really wanted.

Damon and I were still lying in bed, though we had been wide awake since the sun rose. He was playing with my hair as we both stared up the ceiling. I felt like that's all we ever seemed to do and he thought the same, two minds forever on the same track.

With the idea in mind, he bent down and gave me a kiss, grinning like a burglar in a jewelry store. "I love you, Evie."

"I love you, too," I replied, letting the words seep into my heart. I _loved_ him! What a miraculous feeling a dead person could have. Zombies couldn't feel this kind of love—if they were real, that is. Wasn't this human enough?

He sighed, still smiling. _I love hearing you say that._

_Yeah, well I'd love it if I wasn't the size of an elephant._ "What are we going to do about Alphaeus?" I inquired aloud, knowing the subject would come up soon enough even without my assistance.

Another sigh followed but this one was less blissful sounding and more perturbed. "Do we have to talk about that right now?"

"I guess not," I said with a shrug, looking up into the lovely ocean in the never ending world of his eyes. "What would you like to talk about, Mr. Moretti?"

"This baby of ours. When do you think she'll arrive? It's been a few days and I was half-expecting her to have been born already. She did grow overnight, after all. It only makes sense that she should be out and about by now."

I grinned, imagining his six prancing children about the garden. "I'm sure she'll be here soon enough. She said she was coming soon, though I can't begin to understand how she knows that." Although, it had to be said; none of this really made sense in the grand scheme of things. Her being up and walking around with us was merely the more plausible scenario at this point.

Calm, peaceful waves drifted over him and he felt like he was floating amongst the clouds. He was in a fantastical hot-air balloon, miles and miles above the earth and peering down at the wonders below. It was only too soon that someone shot down this magnificent contraption, shot it right out of the sky, sending him plummeting back to the ground. "I'm going to see the council today. They should be informed that a major player is coming to town. We could use them to create a wider blanket of security. They're no fighters—they couldn't even take my brother and me down—but they are undeniably well connected." _So much for talking about other things._

"Do you want me to come with you? I could read their minds for you?"

He shook his head, regretting his decision to blow me off the map in a falsified car crash. "They think you're dead, Evie. I'll have to take Ben along." _I'm sorry._

I let out a breath I seemed to have been holding as he spoke and glanced up at his adoring expression. "It's alright, my wonderful, handsome, amazing husband. I understand why you did it and I know it's easier to just stay dead. You two go and I'll wait here with the wolves. We'll make sure the house stays in one piece," I affirmed with a beaming smile of contentment.

"I'm not worried about the house, darling. I'm worried about you. The baby made your ring stop working. What if something like that happens again?"

"It won't," I promised. "We understand each other and she knows now what happens when she plays with her powers. She and I will be okay. Cal and the wolves will be here as backup just in case." I got up and headed for the dresser to get changed into something decent. Unfortunately, all I had in the way of fat clothes was a white floor-length dress with three-quarter long sleeves. Damon had picked it up on his way back from a visit to one of his old vampire informants yesterday. He didn't know how long I was going to look… huge so he wanted to make sure I had something to wear—and that I looked completely innocent, nothing any of the other guys would want to mess with.

I rolled my eyes at it while he couldn't see and draped the garment down over my head, letting the bottom hit the floor. It was kind of larger on me, but not by much, only enough to hit the floor from being too tall.

Arms enveloped me and Damon's lips traced along the length of my neck. "You look like an angel."

I laughed and leaned my back against him. "I look like a giant snowwoman." I stroked his embracing forearms as I continued, "But thank you for the gift."

We walked down the stairs together, hand in hand, so I could say goodbye to him properly at the door. As we came to the bottom of the stairs, everyone was staring at us. At first I thought it was because they still hadn't gotten over my enormity, but after a quick scan I realized it was for another reason entirely.

Connie was the first one to notice us. She had seen the brightness of my dress out of the corner of her eye and she had to know what it was right away. _They look so cute together, like they belong together._

_The man in black and the woman in white_, Patrick thought. _How captivating._

_What is this? Halloween? _Cal was sour, as usual. One good punch in the jaw would set him straight.

Ben got up when he heard in Damon's mind that he was needed and trailed behind us to the front entrance. He kept on going as my husband and I stopped before the door to exchange one last kiss before he ventured out of my sight for a few hours.

_I'll try not to be gone too long. I promise._

I smiled with a wave and mouthed the words he needed to hear the most. "I love you."

He gleamed and sent them right back to me before he brought me towards the threshold. _I want to see your face as I go, for as long as I can._

Lovingly, I stood there on the porch and peered through the lightly falling snow at the black and red SSC Ultimate Aero XT. I missed our awesome dull blue Mustang. It was practically a part of the family and we had left it behind.

The two men got in the sports car and drove off. Before he turned the corner, Damon looked in his rearview mirror and smiled. It was still kind of an overwhelming feeling, not only seeing how much he cared for me but being able to see it from a mile away as if I was sitting in the back seat. You think I would have gotten used to it over the eight months between now and the night I turned. But I guess not.

Once the boys were no longer in sight, I closed the door behind me and zoomed through the forests at top speed. I made sure I was deep enough in that there was no way he could see me passing his car. In fact, I was so much faster than any vampire in existence that even if I had been closer, I still would have only been a blur in his peripheral vision.

My legs carried me far without a need for rest. It felt indescribably good to be out in the fresh air with all the animals surrounding me. I needed to get out of that house with the stench of werewolves and be among my own kind.

I came to a halt when I reached my destination and curled up in the snow. I must have looked ridiculous since I had left the house without ever bothering to put on my shoes. It wasn't that I needed them or anything like that but a lady in a white dress was noticeable enough. A pregnant lady in a white dress and no shoes was just downright odd.

The person I came to see wouldn't care. Her body was so far underground that it was impossible for her to look at me let alone concern herself with what I was wearing.

I stared at the pale grey stone that marked my best friend's grave. "Here lies Tara Jessica Healy, beloved daughter and friend. July 31st, 1993 to March 8th, 2012." Carved at the bottom of the stone was an extravagant lily, the virgin's flower.

"I guess you always were a kind of innocent. You taught me everything there was about being the next prom queen but you always tried to see the good prospects of people. I remember that one time you, Ben, and I snuck out to see that midnight showing of that movie and we saw that guy all by himself. You went right up to him and asked him for his number. We just laughed at you but you told us he could be the one and we kept on laughing. I always thought you were some kind of psychic. Nothing supernatural or anything, but you had a sense of what was going on no matter what, even if no one was speaking." I touched my palm to the cold marble, expecting to feel a chill from the finger-numbing frozen rock but instead I felt nothing. It was a different temperature than my own, by far, but it was too close for any human to distinguish.

I pulled my hand away and folded them in my lap. "I kind of hoped you'd still be around. We were supposed to be mothers together, remember? You had it all planned out and everything. First you would find me a guy who was handsome and smart, and then we'd both get married exactly a week apart. Then we'd both get pregnant a year after our honeymoons and have our babies on the same day. They'd grow up and be best friends just like us." A single tear fell from my eye, the remnant of whatever storeroom of waterworks I had left inside me. "I'm sorry it had to end this way. I'm sorry that I killed you. I know Ben and the others keep telling me it wasn't my fault, but you were the one who ended up suffering the most from all of this. There were so many things that we were going to do together, so many things you should have been able to do. But I took those away from you. You weren't dead when I bit into you. I can remember that plain as day. Alphaeus had broken you but you were still fighting for your chance to stay alive and then I took it all away. I should have been able to fight it." I flung myself forward in penitence, burying my face in the snow. I never wanted to see anything ever again, not if it meant I would witness the death of more of my friends. Whatever Alphaeus was planning on doing, it was going to end in bloodshed. That was for certain.

Suddenly, I heard the crack of a twig breaking in the distance. I flashed to my feet and was about to take off when I saw who it was.

"Evie?" the woman cried. "Is that you?"

All of my instincts told me I had to leave but I couldn't. I wanted to stay. "Yes, Aunt Fauna, it's me." I slowly glided through the space between us but stopped about a few feet away.

Tears were gushing down her face like rain. "Are you a ghost?"

I saw myself through her eyes and realized that was probably what she saw. Assuming that I was dead, it was the only answer.

With a smile, I nodded silently.

Her breathing was sporadic, her heart pounding. "I have so many questions to ask you." She took a step closer but I quickly held up a hand to tell her it was too close. She understood right away and folded her arms close to her chest. "Are you happy?" she wondered.

Out of all the things she could have wanted to know, the first was more than selfless. "I am," I replied.

"Are you with your parents?"

"Yes."

She smiled, still crying, and glanced at my belly. "Are you pregnant?" She tried to make sense of it but every fiber of her being told her it was impossible for a ghost to be with child.

"You see me how you would like me to be. You always wanted me to have a family of my own one day and this is what that would look like." The family part was true enough, but I was really just making it up as I was going along. There was no other possible explanation for it, without having to explain that I wasn't really dead that is. My face turned hopeful. "Are you happy?"

Fauna repeated my previous gesture. "I just wish that you could still be a part of my happiness. But Ian has been really kind to me." She grinned. "I think he's going to propose soon."

I wanted to run up to her and give her a hug but I kept my distance. "Congratulations. I'm sure you two will always be good together."

Her eyes closed for a moment and I took that as my opportunity to leave. I sped over to the trees and climbed until I was hidden behind the branches of a pine tree coated in white.

As she gazed again at the space in front of her and noticed I was gone, she scrambled about in search of me. After a couple minutes, she decided I had returned to my world up above and stopped in front of a grouping of gravestones. She placed a poinsettia on the ground in front of one of the three. Then she kissed her hand and pressed it against the marker. With the words "sleep well" she began the trek back to her car.

The moment she pulled away from the curb, I leapt down from my branch and approached the stones that had interested my aunt so much. I sunk to the ground when I recognized the names. "Here lies Vincent James Richards, beloved husband and father. 1979 to 1994. Here lies Sherry Alaine Richards, beloved wife and mother. 1982 to 1999." These two stones were significantly older than the one that sat between them. "Here lies Evelyn Anastasia Richards, beloved daughter and friend. October 31st, 1993 to March 8th, 2012." I felt like Van Gogh must have felt when he saw his name on a grave marker at such a young age. But my sinking stomach ceased as I took in the details. In the background of all the writing was an oak tree etched into the entire length of the stone, the symbol of renewed life. However, the one that brought me the most cheer was the tiny marking in the bottom right-hand corner. A heart with an arrow surrounded the swirling cursive:

ER + DM forever

I smiled. No one else would notice the wedding rings settled at the top of the heart or the heart itself. Humans could see it easily enough but it would remain unimportant to any who glanced at the gravestone. They wouldn't expect such a thing to be there.

"You shouldn't be out here in the cold."

My smile disappeared as I swung my head around to see the youngest Moretti towering above me.

He unfolded the blanket in his arms and held it out to me. "I thought you might need this." _Don't explode, Mother Goose. I was just watching out for you._ He didn't know I could hear his thoughts while Ben wasn't forcing them on me so he wasn't directing those words at me. Actually, he hadn't really thought about me hearing his mind. The possibility didn't occur to him, ever.

I hesitated and stared up at him like his skin carried the plague.

With a sigh, he knelt down and swathed the blanket around my shoulders. "Damon's going to kill you when he finds out you went off the property and by yourself no less." He sat down and leaned up against the nearest tree stump he could find.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking back at the symbol of Damon's love. What I really wanted to know was how he knew I was here. I was too fast for him to follow and I had a good head start that should have left him in the dust.

Almost like he knew what I was thinking, he commented offhandedly, "I figured you would be here. There isn't really anywhere else you can go in your condition." _Being dead and all._

"You didn't have to come."

"But I wanted to… apologize. For being short with you lately. I'm having a hard time adjusting to this new lifestyle of yours." _It's a lot easier to back off a person who looks like the Virgin Mary._

_The Virgin Mary? I remind you of Jesus's mom? That's kind of weird. _"There's not much we can do about that but if it helps, you can think of me as your sister. After all, that's technically what I am."_ And it'd be weird if you tried to hit on your sister. That's almost as bad as if you hit on your brother._

"Yeah, I guess."

I stared at the markings on my gravestone and clutched the blanket close. "How did I die?" _You can't just fake a car accident._

His eyes were on me. I could see myself in his mind. "Damon took Ben's truck, put Tara in the passenger's seat and went into a head-on collision with a car we scrounged up out of the junkyard. We compelled everyone who came to check out the accident and fed them the story that we wanted them to think. Then it all took off from there. There wasn't a body for your aunt to identify but we told the coroner that your funeral would have to be a closed casket ceremony and that no one could see you to investigate. Naturally, they believed everything we told them so it was easy for them to explain it to the others. The news picked up your story and it was a huge funeral like the one for Ben's girlfriend." It played in his head as he recalled the memory forward.

Instead of Ben, Cal was the one standing up there in front of everyone, giving the speech about a lost love. Damon was nowhere in sight. He was already out of town, searching everywhere for the real me.

Cal clutched tightly to the podium, still frustrated about what he had done to these poor people. Ben had his magical iron grip on him so he couldn't hurt anyone if he decided to revert back to being a crazy, mindless vampire servant. For the time being, Cal seemed human enough and that would have to do. They couldn't risk him not being at the funeral. It would be too suspicious since everyone else thought that he and I were deeply in love.

"There are a lot of things that I regret when it comes to Evie. She was always really special to me ever since I met her my first day at Wolfcrest High. I knew she was the one I was meant for. She was kind to an absolute stranger. I was new here in town and she went out of her way to befriend me. I couldn't let someone like that slip through my fingers, and now she has." The wood in his palms was about to rupture under the pressure. He figured this was the best time to sit down. Instead of going back to his seat, he continued right passed the chairs and out the door. He was on the verge of ripping someone's head off and he knew Ben was on standby, ready to kick his butt if he tried anything.

Anger filled him because that is how he truly felt about the situation. He had lost me forever, let me slip right through his fingers, all because he hadn't fought for me or the right to be free of mind. If he had only held tighter to the valerian-coated bars of his cell that day that Alphaeus tried to make him leave with him, the Original would have never been able to persuade him to turn off his emotions and we would still be together. Or so he thought.

"Oh," was all I said. I had asked a simple question and had been bombarded with more than I bargained for.

We sat there unmoving like the stone statues that adorned the cemetery grounds. There was nothing else to be said and neither of us wanted to stir any emotions in the other that would end up causing more of a discrepancy between us. After a while, I decided we should probably head back before Damon found out I had gone and we took off through the woods back to Moretti Manor, my prison.

Only an hour or so had passed which meant that my husband and best friend hadn't had time enough to return. Part of my dress was wet from the snow so I curled up by the fireplace and did my best to ignore the thoughts that shouted out at me from behind.

_I wonder where those two went off to. I bet they went off on a secret rendezvous to avoid anyone else's notice because they're secretly lovers. _Jeremy, one of the twins, was seriously into reading romantic chick novels and always had a mind for outrageous theories.

Patrick was more reasonable about the situation but still concluded that something was going on. _They both seem to be acting stranger than usual. I wonder what happened._

_That dude is totally banging the pregnant chick._ Terrance certainly had a way with words.

_I wonder if there are any more cinnamon rolls_. Rick's mind was always on food, much different from his twin brother's.

When this arrangement got to be too vexing, I snagged a blood bag from the fridge and headed back upstairs to my room to drink in peace.

Damon got home a couple hours after I had returned and found me lying on the bed, unmoving. He grinned and started running towards me. Right before his legs could hit the edge of the bed, he leaped high into the air and landed smoothly beside me on the mattress. "I'm back," he sang. "Did you miss me?"

Without a word, I turned over so I could see his face and rested my head on his chest. This was my resting place, the position that was mine and no one else's. I could lie like this for eternity and never grow old or tired or bored. All I needed was this place beside his heart and I would be fine forever.

"That much, huh?"

I sighed, taking in the scent of the candles still glowing in the background, filling the room with smells that reminded me of warm summers and crystal lakes. "You have no idea." I took a moment to appreciate his presence, trying to make him understand how important it was to me that he was here. Then I interrogated him. "So, what happened today?"

He didn't really feel like rehashing so he let his mind do all the talking.

Damon and Ben were walking up the steps of the town police department, the place where most of the meetings are held. Many people couldn't understand why two young boys were wandering the halls unescorted but they didn't care. They just kept on walking like they owned the place. It helped avoid unwanted disturbances from the people they passed by. They stopped at a door marked "Sheriff Roger McMillan" but only for a second. Without announcing themselves or performing a customary knock on the door, they walked right in and closed the door behind them.

"You should really lock that door while Council meetings are in session. Wouldn't want any unwanted visitors strolling in."

"Damon!" Ursula Gilmore called to him as she realized who had interrupted the mayor's sentence. "We didn't hear you were back in town. We thought you left to go visit your Uncle Louis in Michigan." Mrs. Gilmore was Damon's number one fan on the Council. If she wasn't married, she'd be making a move on him faster than you could say "lipstick and denture cream."

He kissed the back of her hand, something I wasn't too pleased about, and took a bow like a prince. "I haven't been here long so that is understandable. I'm actually here for the holidays to spend time with my brother."

"Oh, yes. Cal must really need to be around family during the holidays, after losing his girlfriend and all."

His muscles tightened at the reminder that I had once been someone else's. "Yes, Evie was a great loss to all of us. But it is always nice to be with your family on Christmas. I'm actually here to discuss a rather dire piece of business. Please, have a seat." He stepped forward and called everyone to attention. "A very powerful, very deadly vampire is on its way to Wolfcrest. I drew up a sketch for your team to familiarize itself with." Damon unfolded a picture from his pocket and slapped it onto the desk. "His name is Alphaeus and he's British. Whatever you do, do not confront him. He's not like other vampires we've seen. He can't be killed with sunlight or a stake to the heart. Do not raise any sort of alarm, act natural if you spot him and have someone call me as soon as you hear about it. Me and my men" _and women_ "will kill him on sight before he can harm any civilians."

"Excuse me," Mayor Gimbly stated as he raised his hand. He hated being interrupted and he hated Damon even more, mostly because the limelight tended to find him wherever he goes which meant far away from Gimbly. He especially didn't like his authority being challenged. "What makes you and your _men_ so special? How are you planning on killing it if it can't be killed?"

Damon gave him the _shut up and listen to what I'm telling you _glare and leaned closer to the man in charge. "We found a way to kill this guy and there's only one way to do it. So unless you want to take him on with your fists, Gimbly, I suggest you take my advice and call me up when this dude arrives. Okay?" He was straining himself to stay so calm and collected but his snarkiness seeped out in the end.

I could tell this was certainly the condensed version of his story but he hit all the basic highlights and that was good enough for me. "So it went well, huh?"

"I guess you could say that. Gimbly's not one for cooperating willingly, but Ursula was able to talk him into compliance well enough. All of the sheriff's officers now know what the guy looks like, although they all seem to think he's Britain's most wanted, but we should know the second Alphaeus turns up. We don't have long to wait now."

The day the Original finally decided to reveal himself would only be too soon.


	11. Chapter 11: Growing Resources

Chapter Eleven:

Growing Resources

The day continued on and eventually I decided I should try to be a big girl and face the crowd, no matter how much I wanted to stay in bed. Damon picked me up in his arms and brought me downstairs to the living room to join the others. A couple of werewolves were sitting down on the couch but they soon dived out of the way when they saw who was coming and who he had brought with him. They were fast learners, I can tell you that.

I curled up in a blanket and detached myself from the conversation between the men over by the large table behind the couch. Patrick, Cal, Ben, Ian, and Damon were all standing around talking about recent events and how this game plan of theirs was going to go down. The wolves that were left over migrated outside to play a game of football. Honestly, anything was more interesting than listening to the boys bicker so I drifted over to the window that overlooked the backyard and stood quietly, spectating from afar.

Most unexpectedly, I was taken by surprise by the one they called Connie. She was a small thing for someone so strong, with light hair like her superior's and tan skin. Anyone who had seen her on the sidewalk would have assumed that she was from a warmer climate like California or Florida. As she approached me, she was very quiet and I barely noticed her footsteps coming towards me. She tapped on my shoulder to get me to pay attention to her and smiled. "I wanted to give you something, as a baby gift. I suspect you aren't planning on getting many of those, since the pregnancy was so quick and all." She bent her head to look down as she retrieved something from her pants' pocket. With a grin, she handed it to me. "It's a dream catcher. Before I joined the pack, I lived not too far away from an old Native American reservation. A shaman there taught me how to make these. It's supposed to capture evil spirits and prevent them from creeping into your dreams and causing nightmares. It might help your baby sleep soundly at night."

The dream catcher was primarily made of dark brown leather. On the tassels at the bottom, there were different colored glass beads and crows' feathers attached at the ends.

"Thank you," I beamed.

"Oh, it was nothing. I just hope we'll all see this vampire thing through to the end." She smiled once more and returned to the game in session outside.

I held up her present in the sunlight and examined it from every angle. It was kind of her to give a gift to a perfect stranger. I barely knew her name and she was already worrying about my child's dreams before she was even born. I suppose, coming from a large group of guys, she had to cling to the little things like that. She never wanted to have children because she knew what he or she would become but she had a descent and sympathetic soul towards them and would never want to see any harm come to one.

Ben wrapped his arm around my shoulders and glanced at the gift in my hands. _She'll be okay, Evie. You can't condemn her to unhappiness before she's even born._

_I know_, I thought as I heaved a sigh. _But that doesn't mean I have to stay so hopeful. I don't even know if she'll have the chance to be born. Tomorrow night, Alphaeus could waltz right in like last time and kill us where we lie. We have no real way of protecting ourselves now that a full moon isn't due to appear for at least twenty days or so. Does a werewolf bite even work when it's not in wolf form?_

_Do you want to find out the hard way?_

_I'll pass._

_Then stop worrying so much about whether we're going to live through this and just keep on living like we're not waiting for anything._

_That would be unwise of us to do so. If we sit around and play games then we're not preparing ourselves for what's coming. I need to be able to help you guys fight._

_Who's to say that there will be a fight?_

I looked up at him with a scowl.

He hugged me closer to him and rested his head on top of mine. _We should have enough time. Alphaeus is probably rounding up his troops or whatever which gives us plenty of time to have this baby out and about. Any day now, she'll be kicking and screaming like any other newborn. Just you wait and see._

Sometimes I felt like Ben actually believed the crap that he was spouting out at the rest of us. At least he wanted to believe it. It was like he was the man who kept us all working at our best while everyone else was in top gear already. He brought the stragglers back to pace and sent them on their way to jolly land. Whatever he was doing, it made others happy. It didn't really matter if it was a lie or not. What needed to be said needed to be said and that was that.

But I still wanted to fight and there was nothing he would be able to say that would change that.

He understood that fact soon enough and sighed in compliance. _I'll go make a call._ He stepped away with his cell phone in hand and went outside to be alone.

Two hours passed and I was still standing by that window, watching those wolves play football. No one seemed to want to change their activities. It was an unspoken agreement that we would entertain ourselves until the last moment came upon us. Waiting around like a bunch of pansies was not our style. We had to keep ourselves busy and act like every moment of our lives was not spent sitting by awaiting our executions. What kind of life would that be?

A car pulled into the driveway and the door slammed. The sound was accompanied by heavy footsteps and displeased grunts. Whoever was here wanted to be anywhere else in the world and yet she continued up the walkway and pounded on the door until Ben leaped out of his seat to answer it.

"Grandma Rose, thank you for coming. She's right this way."

_Grandma Rose? _Damon wondered. _The witchy woman? What the hell is she doing here?_

"Damon, be nice to our guest," I warned without moving from my window. The woman at the door would not have heard me speak.

"But what is she doing here?"

"I don't know," I replied curtly. "We'll just have to be patient."

He slumped onto the couch and patted the seat next to him. "I hate being patient."

I giggled lightly and made my way to the spot he had indicated. "I am well aware of that." I placed my head on his shoulder and was right at home as he surrounded me entirely. I could still smell the candles from our room on his ebony dress shirt.

"Are you thirsty?" he asked quietly before Grandma Rose had time to enter the room.

"No," I said, weaving my fingers through his. "I'll be fine. You?"

"She'll live to see another day, if that's what you mean."

Only a few seconds had passed in the time it took for Rose to come into the living room and head towards the seat across from us. As the two humans entered, Ben settled in the third spot next to me and sat motionless.

"You remember Evie, of course. This is her husband Damon." _I already explained the situation. She knows all about your magical pregnancy and what she's here for so don't say anything to upset her. She doesn't really want to be in a vampire nest right now and any word could set her off._

_But what _is_ she doing here? I don't understand, Ben._

"Yes, yes. I remember. I'm not an Alzheimer yet. I still have my mind in my old age," she responded in a dramatic, sarcastic sort of way. "So we better get started training you up right if you expect to be in tip top shape before the beasty comes to snatch you in the night. Point me in the direction of the learning area. I need a pliable aura."

None of those words made sense to me, but I stood as Ben did and led the way out to the garden where I assumed we were headed anyway. Damon never let go of my hand and refused to once he realized the purpose of the old lady's visit.

_I don't like this, Evie_, Damon complained.

"I know but be nice or she might turn you into a toad," I whispered.

_Would you kiss me and turn me back into a prince?_

Teasingly, I replied, "No. You would have to be a prince originally in order to turn back into one. But I can give it a try if it makes you happy."

_You little devil. We're picking this conversation up later._

"Thanks for the warning."

We went passed the confounded wolves to the center of the rosebushes. Grandma Rose stood beside the fountain and forced us with her powers to sit down on the benches.

"Listen up, kids. There is only one spell you're going to need against this Original fiend but here's a few to get things going. First, surround your battlefield. You don't want the whole world getting bloody. With a simple spell, you can contain any blast or incantation within the confines of the battlefield. It will help ward off side effects that will spread across the town. Second, know your enemy and specifically know how many. You don't want some bloodsucker—no offense—getting the drop on you. Third, blast them skyward and make sure that if you go through with this fighting thing, there are no survivors. If even one of those bullies gets away, they'll be after you for the rest of your life and it will be a never ending cycle of revenge and battles for you folks. Now, Ben. Go stand over there." She was not one for polite gestures, at least not in her current environment. Although, she would rather be here at a vampire's resting place than inviting us into her home. She would never be able to sleep again without wondering if one of us was going to creep through her bedroom window and have her for dinner.

Ben got up and stood on the other side of the garden like he had last time we tried practicing our spells.

"Good," she said tersely. "Contain your battlefield."

With a big wave of his arms, he managed to create a big bubble. Against the snow, you could see the little splotches of sapphire that coated the force field.

Hoping to be able to prove her student was the best she picked up a stray stone and tossed it at the barrier. As it made contact with the blue, there was a colossal spark before it quickly bounced back. She allowed herself a half-grin and glanced at me. "Your turn."

I gently unfolded my hand from Damon's and traded places with Ben, waddling to the spot in a way that made me want to die of embarrassment. I may have wanted to learn how to fight but this was ridiculous. My body was too big to accomplish anything right now. As we passed each other, he wished me good luck. I was going to need it.

"Remember, your power derives from concentration. If you can't concentrate on what you want, something will go wrong."

I nodded, letting her know that I accepted the advice openly and clenched my fists in concentration. This was it. If I could prove to her that I was worthy of her teachings, she might ignore the fact that I was no longer one of her own kind—and pregnant—and she would continue to help me expand my knowledge. _Force field_. I copied the hand motions I had seen and looked up at the sky. As the words were said in my mind, branches of violet spread around the outside of the garden.

_Purple. Figures_, the old woman thought. _A lover's shield. Haven't seen one of those in a while._ "Nice work." _For a vampire._ "Ben."

We switched places again and he saw how broken up I was over her prejudice. I never really thought of myself as a vampire because I wasn't the kind that killed people or caused children to have nightmares. I only wished to survive. Didn't everyone? He would have a talk about this with his teacher. He never wanted me to be upset ever again.

As Ben took his stance, he patiently awaited his orders.

"Pull in your shield until it just barely misses everyone but you and use the elements to destroy your foe." Was this woman a fairytale addict or what?

He performed the first step once again but brought it closer to him at the last second. I could see it right in front of me but I was no longer inside it like I was before. Before I could wonder about what she meant by her last request, the inner part of the bubble burst into a tornado of flames with Ben at the eye of the storm.

The old woman saw the look on my face, the look of a worried sister, and reassured me. "He's fine. A spell caster is never harmed by his own spell. Magic is kind that way." _That is unless you're using black magic._

Soon the fire disappeared and her words were suddenly more comforting. Not a hair on his head was singed or a pinch of fabric charred. He was indeed okay.

"Your turn," Ben said with a smile. He could see I was impressed.

"It's best to leave this for another time," Grandma Rose corrected. "Evie is still new to this and we don't want her burning down the house." Then she abruptly looked in my direction. "Let's have a talk." She went through the maze of bushes and left me to wonder what the heck she could possibly want to talk to me about. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

_She just wants to explain something to you_, Ben said confidently. _She thinks there is something you should know._

I crossed the way and entered the maze. The first turn was easy enough, but I had no idea where to go from there. I glanced down and almost smacked myself in the forehead for being such an idiot. As a vampire, I could distinctly see every footprint as if my eyes were only an inch away. I followed them until I reached another small alcove I never even knew was there. As I entered, the way closed behind me and I was suddenly concerned for my life.

"Please, sit," she commanded, gesturing to the cushioned chair across from her.

I did as I was told and relaxed in the chair in the niche that couldn't possibly exist.

She leaned back and folded her arms, keeping as far away from me as was humanly possible in the minor enclosure. "Ben has been telling me that your child was magic born. I thought you should know how it happened."

Intrigued, I listened closely to every syllable.

"When you and your husband were enthralled as one entity," she began, making my cheek's burn red with another person's blood. This sounded like the odd beginning to a child's first sex talk. She noticed my embarrassment and tried to cover her half-smile as she pushed on. "You two truly became one person. His will combined with yours and together, you were able to push passed the boundaries and laws enforced by Mother Nature to create a life. All magical abilities are rooted within a witch's desires. The desire to protect, to begin a new life, to vanquish an enemy. It all fuels a magical person's powers and when that desire is placed among other natural forces, sometimes miracles can spring up in the middle of a terrible time. It wasn't merely that you wanted a child, but you wanted a renewed life, a way to continue to make a human mark on the world. At any rate, your husband is just as much at fault for the event. If it wasn't for his need to give you everything that you wanted, your child would never have been conceived." She scoffed as though this was an atrocity sent to rid the world of all its goodness, but her words and thoughts conveyed her true feelings.

I smiled despite the harshness of her tone. Grandma Rose had called my baby a miracle and no amount of sarcasm was going to convince me otherwise. She talked a lot of smack about vampires but she was a sucker for a child and a love story. Two vampires changing what it means to be human and bringing a beating heart into a grim world with their pure desires alone was hard to turn your nose up at, even for her. "Thank you," I said with sincere benevolence. I could tell why Ben liked going to her house every Sunday even though he often came home with a few more bruises each week from all of the slaps on the back of the head that she handed out freely. She was a unique kind of person who said exactly what you needed to hear, even if she made it sound like something you didn't want said in a million years.

She pursed her lips as if being addressed by me directly gave her displeasure but she returned the sentiment. "You're welcome." _Although, you won't be thanking me if something goes wrong…_

"What could go wrong?"

Her head shook to establish the fact that this was the extent of her knowledge on the subject and stood. "Let's return you to your precious husband before he burns down the garden looking for you." She stepped in front of the hedge and was about to conjure her entranceway when I stopped her.

"Wait," I pleaded as she avoided my touch.

She looked at me for a moment, wondering what it was that I desired from her this time. As if the answer no longer mattered, she nodded and sat down once more. "What is troubling you?"

Astonished once more at her wisdom, I continued after a moment's hesitation. "I've been having strange dreams. Could that have anything to do with the baby?"

This fascinated her. _Vampires dream?_ "What sort of dreams?" Her voice told me that she didn't really care, but her thoughts said otherwise.

"Well…" Most of them were odd and embarrassing. They all seemed to feature my affections towards other men and my desire to abandon the one thing that I held dear above all else.

Grandma Rose grew impatient from the waiting. Even a few seconds of silence was too much for her to bear. "Dear heavens, me. What is it, child?"

I frowned a bit and let the details pour out like word vomit. "The first one started a little over a month ago. The great darkness was sweeping over the land and I ended up here. Then a couple days later I had a nightmare about Alphaeus and his sister burning down the town and eating my friends. The last of them happened a few days ago. I saw my husband and my daughter when she was sixteen and Ben with his wife and kids…" _And then Ben kissed me and I turned him into a vampire witch using both spouses as sacrifices. Tell me it means I'm psychotic._

Her lips pursed as she rested her chin gently on the back of her hand, thinking. _Ben must not have told her about his other gifts if she is coming to me with such a question. They sounded like they told each other everything. Nauseating, really. _"It's a side effect of being a pregnant witch. Normally, a person of power would have to call upon the spirits for aid to be granted with that sort of vision, but every once in a while we can channel them without such formalities." _It truly can be a curse._

"Are you saying those dreams I had were real? They're a part of my future?" What kind of awful person was I going to become?

Rose leaned forward so she could whisper, as if she was losing sight of the fact that I was a monster who could hear her from a great distance. "Yes, your pregnancy causes these dreams, but not everything is set in stone. Some things are but you must realize that the journey of life has so many different possibilities. A single action can change the course of a presumed destiny. Your dreams are all possibilities of the future." She returned to her former upright posture and continued, "The hormones don't help either. They tend to stretch the truth just a little. Your deepest desires, those that your current state wishes you to fulfill, entwine themselves into the messages from the spirits and cloud the meanings."

"Huh…" Now that she mentioned it, all of my dreams seemed to do that. They would start out making perfect sense—or at least seem possible—and then they would turn a sharp corner into even weirder territories. But could those really be my desires? Did that mean I wanted to kiss Ben? Alphaeus? I shivered at the latter of the two. I guess Ben kind of made sense, but the crazy Original who was trying to kill us was at the top of the list of guys who never had a chance with me. Cal was a close second on that list. But Ben? Sure, maybe my mind got the brotherly vibe confused with something else but I would never kiss him in a million years. Other than our first kiss as children, we never…

I couldn't dwell on it any longer. I quickly stood up and thanked her for answering my questions and stood.

She did the same and walked over to the hedge. With a wave of her hand, it bent to her will, reopening the magical passageway that had been there before to allow us entrance into the tiny nook. She waited there in the light of the sun until I followed her out, the greenery closing once again behind me to seal off the place that would never exist again.

We joined the others who were waiting outside by the back door and immediately noticed that Grandma Rose's conclusions about my husband's inevitable reactions were correct. Damon was bombarding Ben with snarky comments about how if I didn't show up with the "creepy witch lady" soon, he was going to track her down and tear her head from off her shoulders.

Ben let out a sigh of relief. _Close call, huh?_

I grinned, trying to think of anything else but the nightmare I worried about the most. _No kidding. _As we came closer to them, I returned to my rightful place by my love's side and his arms coiled around me as if by habit. It was a warning for everyone to stay away. If one more person took me away, forcing him to break his promise, the world would run red with their blood. In other words, he was feeling a bit more overprotective than usual and now was a really good time to keep back or he might go off like a roman candle.

"Would you idiots gather 'round before I change my mind?" Rose beckoned to the non-magical supernatural beings.

Without really knowing what was going on, they did as they were told and formed an uneven circle around the four of us. Honestly, I think some of the wolves were afraid of the old woman while the other more sensible members of the pack were simply extending the proper respect that an elder deserved. Cal exited the living room for neither reason. It was his own curiosity that moved his feet. Ian, on the other hand, simply didn't know what was going on—having not heard the stern command from the woman in charge—so he followed the young brother out of the house.

Rose stood there with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for her commands to be met. Once all were gathered, she folded her arms and glowered. This was definitely the kind of woman who had to express her discontentment whenever it was felt. Otherwise, she just wouldn't be herself. "Alright, you guys. Let's see what you can do." She looked over at the werewolves and nodded towards the open grass. "Everyone line up in pairs and try to land a hit."

I didn't understand at first what she was trying to do, but then as I looked into her thoughts it was clear. She wasn't just going to help by instructing me. She was also going to get the others in shape. Her main priority was keeping the civilians safe and she didn't want any of us to muck that up.

Two by two, everyone paired up: Patrick and Connie, Rick and Jeremy, Terrance and Ian, etcetera, leaving Damon and Cal to go up against one another. With a groan, Damon detached himself from me and walked over to where Cal stood waiting with a delighted expression. He'd been longing for a reason to punch his brother in the face and somehow fate had granted him a chance. It was evident to me that my advice from earlier had gone misunderstood. Despite my wishes, he wasn't going to give seeing me as a sister a try. Thinking of me as family was just as weird to him as believing he had a chance was to me.

Ben stood by my side, taking Damon's place, and shook his head at the two brothers. He could hear Cal's thoughts and wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face himself.

Once everyone was put into pairs, the antagonistic forces went head to head, doing their best to land a hit on their opponent. My eyes were glued on the Morettis' fight, watching as Damon stood there thinking that this was all a big waste of his time. As Cal came toward him without holding back, Damon saw for the first time today how this was really going to go down. Cal was going to shoot higher than the meager requirements that Grandma Rose had set out for him, all in the pursuit of revenge.

At the last minute, the eldest Moretti was able to move out of the way of the youngest brother's fist. For my vampire eyes, it was like watching the Matrix, their hands and motions slowing down so that every detail was clear and not a second of the match was missed. Now at his brother's side, Damon went for a shot of his own only to be dodged. And so the fight went on in a similar fashion, one brother trying to knock out the other with all their might while the other successfully dodged. Over and over and over again. That is until eventually Damon grabbed Cal by the shirt with both fists and slammed him on the ground with a painful looking head-butt, finishing him off with one clean jab to the chest.

I hadn't noticed until then but all of the other pairs had ceased their displays to watch the Moretti brothers quarrel. In their minds, each member of the pack had already guessed, betting on who they thought would be the winner. Most were not wrong while the few who guessed incorrectly were disappointed as Cal was buried in the snow. Everyone else cheered while Granny Rose, with arms still folded, looked on the two boys and saw just that—a couple of boys with a brotherly dilemma. However, she had to admit that their skills were more than adequate and she felt she had little to teach those two except perhaps some self-control. To say the least, she wasn't an expert in fighting seeing as she spent most of her life incanting spells and curses and what-not, but one does not grow up without a rudimentary level understanding of self-defense. She was also born in a kind of neighborhood where one had to learn these things quickly or else they wouldn't be able to make it in the world, which contributed a lot to her skill in the art of combat. Many of the concepts she taught herself about fist fighting worked its way into her performance in the magical arts. Discipline, strength, persistence, and focus were all necessary traits that were important for both.

After giving herself and the others some time to calm down from all of the excitement, she called them to order. "Alright, you vagrants. Straighten up and let's get serious." The others returned to the line formation that they had been in before and paid close attention. "Good. Well, it looks like you young'uns have at least a basic knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. You, blonde kid," she said gesturing to Connie.

Connie didn't quite understand what the purpose of calling her forward was but she obeyed the wanton woman without indecision. _That woman scares me… I'm afraid she's gonna eat my liver for dinner or something. What do witches eat, anyway? Toads?_

"The most important thing to remember when fighting your opponent is it can never be a fair fight. He or she might have capabilities that you do not and vice versa. No matter what, assume that your opponent is thinking the same thing and that they'll do whatever it takes to bring you to your knees. Second, the best defense makes a good offense. By anticipating your opponent's movements, you can defend yourself until the moment you see an opening to make your move. Last and most important of all—I can't stress this enough," she breathed. "Don't play the hero. If you see someone going down and you are already in a bind of your own, destroy first and aid later. You're not helping anyone if you're dead. Now, here are a couple of things to keep your rear out of the meat grinder." Glancing at the girl in front of her, she nodded for her to come at her and waited patiently.

Connie immediately thought the "old broad" was crazy. After thinking about how bad she wanted to hit someone in the face and the opportunity that was being placed before her, she shrugged and put up her fists.

This next part might have been my scattered pregnancy brain but one second Connie was going for a punch and the next she was lying face down in the snow behind Grandma Rose.

Everyone was just as amazed as I was when I glanced at their faces and overheard their inner exclamations.

_Did she really just take down Connie? Old lady got game!_

_She's gonna show us how to do that, right?_

Cal didn't care, still shaking out the snow from his hair. He caught my gaze and did nothing to hide his smirk. _Maybe I should leave it where it is. The wet, grunge look seems to be working for her. Man, I can't wait until that baby is out of the way…_

_Easy there, tiger_, growled Ben mentally. _That's my little sister you're talking about._

As you can imagine, I never got to see any of the action going on with Rose and the wolves. It was hard to get passed the bickering and Cal's wild imagination… and my daughter. Before she was even out of the womb, she was communicating with me and her Uncle Ben through our minds. He sat me down on a bench and we conversed with my unborn child about all the things we would do with her once she was among us. She mentioned several times how she loved the sound of our internal voices and how we could speak while she felt so alone inside me. But she felt warm and safe knowing that I was protecting her and she was protecting me. Nothing else really compared to that bond the three of us shared as we spoke with one another. It was something only we could do and therefore it made our ties very special.

Eventually, the lesson ended which meant Ben, the baby, and I no longer had time to chat, for the moment. All of our warriors filed into the living room so that those with a pulse could get away from the chill of frostbites and snowy weather long enough to cozy up to the fireplace. The only one who would have normally fit under that classification refused to spend any more time with those she despised. That's when I saw what I wasn't meant to see.

_Uh oh…_

_Don't worry_, Ben exclaimed. _She won't be a burden. You'll hardly ever know she's there._

_I'm not the one you'll have to convince._

Grandma Rose walked straight up to Ben and asked, "Where is my room? I'd like to rest before dinner."

Damon overheard the barely opened conversation and flipped his lid. "Excuse me? What do you mean 'your room?'"

"Damon," I whispered, trying to calm him.

"No, what do you mean? You're not… Are you?" He absorbed the serious expression set in place on the woman's wrinkled face and sighed, too tired to care anymore. _Great… Add her to the collection. You've officially turned this house into a bed and breakfast. Why don't we just put a sign up in the front lawn that says "Newlyweds desperately seeking company elsewhere?" It seems just as blunt._

I flashed over to his side, almost regretting the decision when the baby kicked in protest. To make the distance worthwhile, I gave him a kiss and let him carry me up to our room. I'd had enough excitement for one day and I was ready for a good night's sleep. Ben would talk to Rose and reassure her that she was nothing but an asset to our team. He would find the right words to say and no harm would have been done. I could retire to my room with my husband and spend the time that others waited for chaos dreaming of better days to come.


	12. Chapter 12: Humanity

Chapter Twelve:

Humanity

As the dreamland captured my subconscious perfectly, I watched the world unfold before me. In the back of my mind I must have feared the possibilities of my future so it had defaulted to tapping into Damon's dreams. I hope he didn't mind me invading this way. I suppose it was taking the meaning of "what's mine is yours" a little too seriously, but I imagined he would enjoy sharing a common thought in more ways than one.

Like the last, this one had a colonial taste to it with the beautiful ball gowns and the white lace and ruffles everywhere. He and I were at one of the first town balls, linking arms and strutting through the doorway of the magnificent new town hall. All who were already in attendance gazed at our attire and stood aside to become acquainted with us. Was this the kind of thing he was used to? We were warmly welcomed by our host and hostess after which we immediately joined those who had gathered on the dance floor. I didn't recognize the style of dance, but he seemed to know it well enough for the both of us. Even in his wildest dreams, I didn't know how to execute a proper colonial dance move. To be honest, I think he just wanted to show me how, a moment where he could continue to teach me the ways of the world.

As we finished the dance, Damon watched me closely as I turned about looking frantically for something. He seemed to know immediately what it was and took me by the arm, brushing my cheek lightly with his free hand. "The children are fine. The nursemaid is watching our young ones and the eldest three are just over there. See?"

I nodded and smiled before I took out my fan and blocked others from viewing our intimate kiss. I didn't really seem to have a speaking role in this night's dream but that was alright with me. My eyes tore away from my husband's face to my children as if it were my own thoughts projecting into reality. Hiram and Emory were asking the lovely young ladies in society for a dance while their older sister, Chastity, was being given admiring compliments from a handsome young man whom Damon knew as the young son of the second most well-known family in Wolfcrest, the Gimblys. They all seemed so happy, all things considered.

Another smile came across my lips and I turned once more to my husband. In a whisper, I told him, "I'm pregnant."

As if somehow this was complete news to him, his face lit up with joy and he stole another kiss for all to see. Once we had gotten the crowd talking about our riotous behavior, he led me outside and didn't stop walking until we were standing right in the middle of the street. Here we could kiss and no one would be the wiser.

In that second, the sound of guns rang and my husband fell to the ground, bleeding from several places in his chest. I dropped down to my knees beside him and held his head in my hands. He wasn't dead, not yet. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth like drool but he was still able to say five little words.

"Take care of the baby."

I looked everywhere for the men whose guns had killed my wonderful Damon and found nothing. Like rain rolling down a windowpane, the tears fell without end. "Damon! Damon, come back to me! Damon, please! You can't die! Not now!" I buried my face in his blood and let the red liquid mix with my salty teardrops. He couldn't leave me so suddenly. It wasn't possible. There was no world where I could exist without him.

Without a second thought, I got up and shuffled over in my large golden gown to the rifle that lay in the grass not too far away, tore off the bayonet, and plunged it through my beating heart.

To my relief, the nightmare ended quickly but when I awoke, my heart remained beating. As I was ejected from my slumber, I gasped and took in what felt like my first real breath in ages. Right away I knew something was wrong. Every moment I went without breathing, I had to inhale more air within the next two seconds or I would feel my lungs burning inside my chest, begging to be inflated once again. My ears felt like they were clogged as I listened to myself rustle the sheets around. I brought my hand up in front of my face in the darkness and saw nothing as if it wasn't even there. I sniffed the air and smelt nothing but the stench of sweat emanating from my forehead.

Panicked, I nudged Damon with all my might and waited impatiently as he came to. At first he didn't really understand what was worth the rush until he heard the second heartbeat. In a blur, he moved from where he sat to put his head against my chest and he was not disappointed. Without speaking to me, he sped over to the door and produced a key which he placed in the lock. I was stuck here.

At first, I sympathized with how he must have been feeling. Having your awesome, vampire wife suddenly turn into a weak mortal being set him on edge. If he was overprotective before, he was a lunatic with a cage now. That promise he had made a couple weeks back that he would never let me leave his sight was irrefutably irreversible in that second. I was to stay in that room in that house until the baby was born and he could change me back to normal again. However, it got old really fast. Sometime around lunch, Ben arrived from his house. He took one step inside and heard me internally screaming at the top of my lungs and rushed upstairs to see what the matter was. Naturally, others followed and soon we had the entire household standing outside the door.

Ben pounded on the wood a few times with his knuckles. "Evie? Is everything alright?" Without really waiting for an answer, he raised his palm to the lock of the door and a blue spark appeared, causing the latch to give way and the door to open.

As soon as the entrance was unblocked, Damon materialized at my side and watched our guests closely. They were currently encroaching on his territory and he wasn't about to let them step forward even an inch more until he was sure that not one of them was going to cause me harm.

Behind my best friend, I saw for the first time with my own two eyes every other single face poking in where they could find the space. Without fail I could pinpoint everyone there—that is except for the old woman who was now living in one of the guest rooms upstairs and hardly came down for anything if she could manage it on her own. No one knew exactly what they were looking at or what was so interesting or worrisome that it required Ben to run to come see it for himself. That is why, when he read my husband's thoughts he stood very still and said with mixed emotions, "She's human."

Prior to that moment the word had not been used to describe me since I turned in March of last year. Not even Damon could quite get himself to say this aloud. Somehow, having it said aloud, everything seemed so much more real than it already was. With a surety, I was the only person on the planet who had ever come back from vampirism in one piece.

Everyone pushed their way into the room and sat around me staring, taking turns feeling the warmth in my hands and witnessing the rosy pinkness of my cheeks. While each was consumed with this task, Ben sat facing me on the bed and pondered out loud. It was not something he normally did, but for the sake of my husband he felt obliged to do so.

"How long do you think it will last? Is it permanent?" A little part of him hoped so.

Damon shrugged, still carefully examining the wolves and his brother who stood amazed around me. "You probably know better than I do. This might just be another baby glitch or something." He turned to me. "Is she saying anything to you?"

I sat there listening closely. I had heard her automated voice so many times before so it was usually very easy to recognize it against the others' mental tones. When I grasped nothing in her mind, my face turned as white as a blank page. "I-I can't hear her." _Is she okay?_ It was not like I could hear her heartbeat to check it out or anything of the sort. It made me panic to the point of shaking.

In an effort to comfort me, Ben approached and set his ear on my belly.

Damon gave me his hand and I held it so tightly I thought I would break him, momentarily forgetting my weakened physical state. We were both weighing the possibility that perhaps our baby girl was going to be dead before we got the chance to see her. It was an idea that had waited patiently in the subconscious to emerge when we were the most vulnerable. To be honest, neither of us had believed that it would last as long as it did, but after the baby's growth spurt we couldn't imagine anything going wrong. She was so close to being born that the odds of her dying before she entered this world completely didn't seem possible.

As he sat up, he shook his head. "I can't hear her either, Evie… I don't think she's dead. It may be another enigma we just can't crack. Just rest up and we'll make sure nothing happens to you. Sound fair?" he asked Damon tersely. Without waiting for a response, he faced the others. "Now that she's human, Evie is more susceptible to being injured from any surprise attack that may occur. That is why each and every one of you has to stand guard. This is no longer playtime. Patrick, have each of your pack members stationed at intervals around the circumference of the house. Push them out far enough that they can catch any intruders and have time to warn the others, but close enough to keep anyone from slipping through. Cal, you and I will station ourselves at the front and back doors of the house in case someone comes back to warn us of an intruder. Any vampire outside of our group is to be killed on sight but if anyone sees Alphaeus they are to alert the others and report back here immediately. Let's go." He gave a nod to my husband and followed the others out.

All of the sudden excitement made my head spin and the room with it. I put my head against the pillow and closed my eyes. It didn't help that disappointment was washing over me like a virus. Mortality was something that had long since been purged from my body but it had made an unexpected reappearance to my chagrin. With this new change would come so many other bothersome things, most of which would be caused by my husband and prison guard, Damon.

The man in question felt my forehead and my wrist to compare temperatures before he finally cradled my head against his chest. I knew without looking that he was still watching the door intently, waiting for some indication that there was trouble on its way. Worse than that, he was going to stay in that crazed state until my heart was once again frozen in immortality.

Now that I was in quarantine, all I could do was sleep. Whether it was from my weakened state or not, I was never able to get enough of it. Eventually I was able to stay awake long enough to be sure I wasn't in a coma, but I soon found myself yearning to return to my dream world once more. However, the questions and worries in Damon's mind kept me awake.

_What if she stays human? What if she's immune to vampire blood and no matter what I do to change her back, she can't? I couldn't ask her to return to me, not if it gave her an opportunity to live out her days with the baby. Maybe she doesn't want to be immortal anymore. If she stays human, she can go back to the family that misses her. Cal and I can erase everyone's recollection of her "accident." At least she'll have Fauna and Ian… and Ben. There's something about their relationship that I still don't understand but I'm willing to listen if she's willing to explain. She says that she loves me more than life but I sense a similar feeling from her when they're together… I don't know what to make of it._

I opened my eyes and peered up at him with perplexed brows. After allowing myself to inhale, I whispered, "I never realized you were so insecure, my love. If you're protecting me because you trying to prove your devotion to me, there's no need. You've already won my heart and anything more is just overkill." With a lessened amount of self-control, I couldn't help myself from jettisoning into the chaotic spiral of the nightmare I'd had about Future Ben and me. I was able to whip my mind back into shape but not without the other mind reader catching a taste of it first.

He didn't know what to say. His mind was blank, or at least it was void of anything other than the reoccurring picture of the two of us romantically involved on a rooftop of a house he had never before seen. The emotional taste wasn't bitter or sweet or sour even but merely an absence of taste like drinking water. He didn't know how to take it and it wasn't something I had ever wanted him to bear.

Damon could sense my worry but tried to find an excuse for my behavior so he could write it off as normal. To him, I was longing for him to understand how much he meant to me. It was a good enough alternative and therefore it needed no correction from me. "It's my job as your husband to protect you and now that you are vulnerable, I can't let my guard down. If Alphaeus wasn't coming and you weren't carrying our child I might have considered a more relaxed approach. But he _is _coming and you _are_ pregnant, so forgive me if I seem overbearing."

Somewhat angered by my captor, I turned over and faced the wall. It was time to focus on the guard posted at the front door. He was still digesting the news.

_Show me the beginning_. The request was fair so I did so with haste, more to give him some closure than anything else. According to Grandma Rose, this was an adaptation of the future and Ben knew that, too. He saw our families sitting down to dinner together and our children enjoying each other's company. Then came the part where we adjourned to the roof and talked, first as friends and then as lovers. But before I could reach the dreadful end, I stopped. The sudden halt made him wonder. _What happened next? _In the back of his mind he was wondering what was so bad after such a flashy display.

_I don't want to see that part again._

His tone was ever more curious and he let his mind roam amongst the possibilities. _Did we…?_

Ewe. _No._ In order to get _that_ image out of my head, I allowed the nightmare to finish itself in picture form. The two of us standing over Damon's body was horrible but the other scenario he had concocted was downright graphic.

Drama. What was more human than this? Somehow, the second I was returned to my old physical self I became that person from one year ago. I became the girl who used to hang out with her two best friends who used to always wonder when she was going to meet someone worthwhile, someone who would sweep her off her feet so that the three of them could go on dates together. I was the girl who tripped whenever she was thinking too hard about something or smiled even when there was nothing to smile about. But the saddest part of me that returned was the part that always said that love would kill me, the part that made me waiver between so many choices because it never wanted me to be happy and sure of the man I loved. Perhaps that's what human nature really means, never being sure of the choice you make and always wondering how your life could have been if you had made the other decision. Vampires mate for life because, let's face it, if they choose the wrong one they're stuck with each other for all eternity. But humans lie and cheat and steal…and we waiver.

Then I remembered. Even though looking back through the short span of my immortal life was fuzzy to me now, I recalled that one moment I'd had alone in the garden with my father. _"Hello, sweetheart,"_ my dad had said to me. _"I've been watching you up there."_ When I apologized for who I was, he stopped me from bringing myself down. _"Evelyn Anastasia Richards. I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you… I am so proud of you, my little girl. You grew up knowing what was right and what was wrong even though life had taken away your parents. You were able to keep two great friends up through your childhood and into high school. And you even managed to get yourself married and pregnant with a kid even after everything in the world told you it was impossible." _And when I asked him about Damon and how angry he must be at me for falling for him, my dad responded, _"No, Evie. I guess I might have been at first but then I saw all of those little things that you did that changed his heart. Before he met you, Damon Leonardo Moretti was a serial killer who ate and yearned for pleasure. You changed that in him. Do you think that same man would care so much about you and the baby? You turned him into a man who was capable of love even after the hundreds of years he had to lose that humanity."_ There that word was again. Humanity. To think that one little word could mean so much in a person, alive or dead. The human race considered as a whole; the qualities or characteristics considered as a whole to be characteristic of human beings; kindness or compassion for others. It's sort of more than those feeble definitions, because we are people not easily defined by words alone.

I thought about the moments in my life that led me to where I was now, lying in a bed unable to move, protected by my immortal husband who watched over me and his unborn child. Whoever thought that the girl who always wondered about her future, always pictured herself alone sitting by that tree in the park watching the ducklings follow their mother around… One day that girl would become me. Ben was one of the greatest friends I ever had and we were going to be happy together. He would find himself a girl who didn't constantly find herself in terrible danger and I would grow old in age alone with the man who wanted nothing more than to protect me.

Somehow, knowing that fact made me feel a lot better. If my human form could settle down on one, definite decision than it must be true. _You should talk to her, you know. When this is all over, I mean. I think you two would really make a nice couple._

Still silent, he continued to guard his post, unsure of how he could possibly respond to such vivid, grotesque images. A single word, however simple, seemed to emanate all of his thoughts. _How?_ As in, how could you possibly think of something like that? How did that dream, of all the lovely things in the world, end up in your mind at night? How could you let me see that? How can that be our future?

_Rose thinks a large portion of it has to deal with the baby. She's been playing around with me since the beginning. It's just another prank on her part… So, are we okay?_

After a minute or two, he finally conceded. _Yes, we're okay. Just never do that to me again, alright? Best friends for life and all that._

I grinned a bit and agreed. _Best friends for life and all that._

Quite to my surprise, there was a rap at the bedroom door. All of my attention was elsewhere. It didn't matter now though because the person at the door was none other than Grandma Rose, harmless compared to anything my wonderful Damon would have wanted to save me from.

Since the door had never been relocked, she stepped right in and took her stand at the end of the bed.

"Who the hell do you think you are, coming in here—?"

She quickly cut Damon off with a speedy quip. "Believe me, I have many more places in mind where I'd rather be. The spirits tell me you are human again. Is this true?"

I didn't know how to answer and settled with giving her a half nod.

Rose folded her arms and pursed her lips. "As I suspected. I have come down to offer my services in protecting you until the child is born. I have been communing with the spirits of the beyond, but they can wait a day or two if need be."

Damon stared her down with his young blue eyes, all the better to see her with. "And what makes you think we need you here? I've got it covered."

"Yes, I am sure you do. Bloodsuckers aside, I think you would benefit from my presence."

"If we wanted you here, we would have asked for you." _Creepy old hag._

She scoffed. "It is apparent to me that you don't know what's good for you, leech."

Damon was enraged, squeezing me tightly into his side as if the woman standing before us was a direct threat. "Yeah, well, it's apparent to me that you can't take a hint. Amscray!"

"Then it is up to the girl I'm actually here for." Rose looked directly at me and asked, "What is your decision?"

There I was, a human trying to avoid drama forced to make another impossible choice where either option would cause problems for many. Choose to let the witch stay and Damon would hate me for an eternity, but ask her to leave and we would lose an important player. In a needless state of panic, I bit my lip and detached my husband's arms from me so I could breathe without too much added pressure. "I'm sorry. Can you excuse us for a moment? I should really confer with my husband before I consent to anything."

A shrug and a humph and she was out the door.

As I had suspected, he wasn't excited about me weighing my options. "Don't tell me you're thinking about actually letting her stay down here with us, are you? Evie, you barely know this broad?"

"That's true, but Ben does and if he trusts her I don't see the harm in letting her help out. That is what she's here for, isn't it? Why not see what she can do before it really counts?" If we were going to stand next to her in battle, I figured we'd better start getting to know this woman while we still had the time. It's never good to fight with people you can't trust. That's when bad things happen.

He eyed the door and let out a groan. _No privacy. Never any privacy._

"It would mean a lot to me, your wife, if you let her help. Isn't it good to have more hands on deck?"

"We're not on a boat."

_Good, because if we were, I'd abandon ship._

_Thank you, Ben. That's not helpful._ I batted my eyelashes and smiled. "I would feel safer knowing where she was at all times. Wouldn't you?" The more I made it sound like it was his idea, the faster he would agree.

It didn't take long after that for him to give up. "Fine, have it your way." He gave me a kiss, let out a lungful of air, and twisted his head towards the hallway. "You can come in."

Granny Rose flashed a victory smile and closed the door behind her before she went over to the chair by my side and sat down. "Now then, you and I should practice working on your breathing exercises. Sisters of the magical realm tend to make a mess in the delivery room. With your hormones all out of whack, your powers will be out of control when the pain comes."

"Really? How many children have you had?" She sounded like she was speaking from experience.

"Oh, I never found the right man."

_Shocker_, thought Damon.

I elbowed him and grinned innocently at Rose. "Okay, then. Show me what I should do."

Listening to Grandma Rose talk about pain and crazy hormones made me fearful for the final hour of this baby thing. I had been through several horrors in my life, all of them either physically or emotionally excruciating. Childbearing, on the other hand, sounded more like an experience I could have easily gone without. Seeing as how I was almost at the end already, turning back didn't really seem like an option. I wanted my little girl more than anything, but why did it have to be this way? I suppose what they say is truer than most people realize: all great things come at a cost, one that more than meets the means.

Predictable as he is, the second Damon had heard enough of the "old bat"—and knew I couldn't possibly be learning any more from her—he shifted and nearly exploded. "Oh, give it a rest! We got the idea. Why don't you sit in silence if you insist on being here?" _You're more than welcome to leave._

Watching my husband get short-tempered like that made me want to laugh. He was always trying to keep me to himself and, when there were too many distractions, he'd throw a tantrum. My dad had told me I had changed him and I believed it. Cool, suave Damon would have taken a woman for granted then slipped out before dawn. Committed, expecting father Damon was clingy and high strung in stressful situations. The part of me that wasn't laughing was apologizing, not out loud of course. Wouldn't he have been happier as the man he was before? I sometimes suspected as much. It didn't help that we were stuck in a place that bore terrible memories for us both. We really needed to get out of there and soon.

My afternoon was filled with the two of them quarrelling. They would have continued on well into the dark hours except for the earth quaking sound of my tummy rumbling. I was famished and craving the delicacies that often went unappreciated during my short stint at immortality.

"I will go whip you up something, young missy. Does anything in particular strike your fancy?" Rose emerged from her seat and waited for my answer as she headed for the door.

"Seafood." I didn't mean to have such sudden expensive tastes but I was dying to sink my teeth into something that swan in the ocean. Deep-fried, succulent scallops, butter running down my throat, licking my lips to capture the remnants of flavor. Food. I was starving.

Before, food was merely an existent means of sustaining life. I had no need for it, though Damon and I often shared a meal together to fill our day with more respectable activities. Never did we sit down and beg so openly for it, not since our hearts let out their last beats.

She took a note of it and exited the room. Not two seconds later, Damon breathed a sigh of relief. _Finally. I thought that woman would never leave._

"She's trying to help," I urged.

_Maybe a bit too much for my taste, thank you. The witch is up to something. I can smell it in her brittle bones._

Things were quiet until Granny returned with the meal no more than twenty minutes later. Time passed quickly enough that it almost seemed instantaneous. She set down the bowl in my hands and returned to the seat she had claimed as her own. "I hope you enjoy it."

Now that I knew Damon suspected the woman, I couldn't help but double check what I thought were the facts. She was thinking about me and the seafood salad she had given me. All I could see beyond that was a plan. Deep in the black pits of her mind, she was plotting, but not against us, against "the adversary." For whatever purpose, Rose undoubtedly wanted Alphaeus and whatever creatures he had at his beck and call to die and she knew exactly who could help us. The name was hidden but she would reveal it to us in time. We were safe and the food in my bowl was untainted—which was great because my stomach couldn't handle another moment of being empty.

I inhaled the seafood sludge and held myself back from licking the bowl clean. When there was nothing left, Grandma Rose took the dish, accepted my compliments, and left to wash it and return it to the otherwise untouched kitchen.

Once I could speak to my husband without being heard by human ears, I quickly conveyed my conclusions. "Damon, she's not trying to kill anyone who isn't evil. She knows we're good people and she's willing to overlook our genetics to reach a common goal. With Alphaeus gone, she'll be rid of a wicked source of power and wrong-doings, so she'll need us alive to do it. Just a few more days. That's all I ask."

He huffed. "I already told you okay. What more do you want?"

"I want you to try and think positive for once. Against all odds, we're going to pull through all this. Don't think for a second that I don't understand what this is actually about." I paused, examining the unintentional furrow on his forehead. "You're worried. I don't know which one you're worried about more but… Me and the baby are going to be fine. Nothing will go wrong. I'm sure of it."

_You can't be sure. You can't be._

"Yes, I can and I am."

"How? Hmm? How can you be sure?" he demanded outright. "Out of all the people who think you are going to die giving birth to this child, what makes you the right one?"

I beamed, glad to have an answer prepared for once. "Because I am your wife and you love me. The rest is up to me. Just stay by my side through this bumpy road and we'll reach the end together."

Damon wanted to believe it. He kissed me and held my hand, tracing the veins in my wrist with the tips of his fingers. Too many things were shouting in his head at once, all but one screaming, "She'll die! They'll both die and it's all your fault!" But it was that one voice that said with confidence that everything would be all right that kept him from completely losing hope altogether. There was a percentage of a chance that we could all walk away from this and he had to fight to keep the embers from going out.

When Rose entered again, she stepped through the doorway at the exact second a shiver went down my spine. She glued her eyes to my face searching for a fault, something that would tell her it was baby time.

I chuckled. "I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure?" she asked anyway. "I could whip up a cup of hot chocolate in a jiffy."

"No, thank you," I replied back politely. Even if I could absorb another ounce of substance, my love would not allow the hot, sticky brown liquid anywhere near his three hundred dollar sheets. Blood could be easily washed out but chocolate was the devil to get rid of once a spill was made.

"Well, why don't you put on a sweater, then? It'll keep you warm."

Now she was starting to get on my nerves. "Alright. I will. If you don't mind, I'd like to change. If you'll excuse me…"

She grinned and took her leave.

With a sigh, I got to my feet and waddled over to the dresser to find a sweater. I only managed to move a step or two away before a sharp, unyielding pain emanated from my enormous belly. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, and I felt like I was going to die as water spilled all over the floor. It was time. She was coming.


	13. Chapter 13: The Bred of Life

Chapter Thirteen:

The Bred of Life

Damon sped over to my side, wrapped a raggedy blanket around my entire body, and we were gone. We passed Cal and Ben in the hallway and stood still long enough for my husband to tell them to follow. "Meet us at the hospital, now!" Then, in a flash, he flew out the door with me in his arms and made his way through the trees. With my human eyes, everything was blurred and I couldn't get my pupils to focus on anything and at the moment I really didn't want to. I shut them tight and let him carry me away to safety. The fast pace was a bit unsettling, but, with the aches and pains that were to come, I couldn't have cared less.

Suddenly the air was different, almost artificial, and warm. With the lingering scent of death, sickness, and anesthetics, I knew we had arrived.

Gasps echoed in the small, nearly empty waiting room.

"My wife is in labor," Damon alerted the receptionist.

On swift feet came the wheelchair pushed by the world's most inexperienced nurse. "I'll take them to Doctor Hutchings right away to get her prepped." Without waiting for any confirmation from the woman at the front desk, the guy rushed away with me moaning from the unbearable pain. Damon followed closely behind.

Within fifteen minutes I was stripped down to my skivvies and forced to put on a very uncomfortable hospital gown. The male nurse assured me that Doctor Whatever-His-Name-Was would be with us shortly to touch base. As soon as he left, Damon leaned in and kissed my sweaty forehead.

"What are we going to do—huh—if she's not human?" I heaved, prematurely exasperated.

He brushed a strand of hair away that was sticking to my face and held my chin in his palm. "Cal and I will make sure she's safe before we compel everyone involved. No one will know, I promise. But don't worry about that. Just focus on your breathing." If I didn't know better, I would have mistaken his suggestion for sarcasm.

As if on purpose, another contraction hit and it hit hard. With the spasm came an involuntary shriek that vibrated the room. That was Doctor H's cue to enter.

"How's the little mother-to-be?" he sang.

I glared at him through squinted lids under dripping eyebrows. "How do you think?"

He realized his approach wasn't working and switched his tactics. "Alright, Mom. It's time to get yourself motivated. Dad, try and help her get in the birthing state of mind. I'll be back to check on you to see how close the contractions are. Is there anything you'd like me to know or something you need?"

"Go away!"

I had never seen a human run so fast before.

Who, who, hee. Who, who, hee. Contraction. Repeat. I understood that natural child birth is a gift and even though I was looking forward to holding my baby girl in my arms, it hurt like a mother! Pain comes hand in hand with being human, but that was one of the things I was okay with leaving behind after I became immortal. Why did joy have to come as the byproduct of despair? As far as I was concerned, the world sucked and so did all the stupid, little humans that lived there. Then, of course, I remembered I was one and my opinion of them brightened up a bit.

Damon was the biggest help in the delivery room. He sat there and stared at my enormous belly, but he didn't seem to be there in the room with me. It was more like he was meditating or something. Pregnant me wanted to tear his head off while human me wanted to know what was wrong. For this reason, a battle took place in my mind between the good and evil thoughts that would not give up. The pregnancy brain won.

"Damon! What are you doing? You're supposed to be helping me relax!"

He snapped out of it and squeezed my hand. "Honey, you need to calm down." _You're scaring me._

"Calm down? I'm scaring _you_?! I'm going to slap you in the face! You expect me to calm down when you're afraid of me? Are you often frightened of humans, you pansy?!"

_You asked for it, Evie._ Damon stopped my head from whipping about and forced me to look into his eyes. "Calm down. You don't feel any pain. Having a baby is easy and you are not afraid." His pupils dilated before he gave me a kiss and finally let go of me.

The instant this occurred, a blanket of security washed over me and I resumed my breathing exercises with Damon sitting beside me to aid my efforts. When the doctor returned, I was completely relaxed, almost in a state of "nirvana."

"Well, well," he cooed with surprise. He turned to my husband and gave him a thumbs-up. "Nice work, Dad." Doctor Hutchings came into the room and closed the door. Then he took the few strides to get to my bedside and brought his stethoscope out of his pocket. He pressed the metal circle to my stomach. I don't think he knew what he was doing but, at the time, I didn't really care. "Alrighty dighty. It sounds like it's time to start pushin'. Let me go get my assistant and we'll get this show on the road."

Within a few hours, a cry rang out from my body and then a smaller voice echoed the call with a sharp wail. My eyes opened and, blinking away the tears and dripping sweat, I looked into the face of my child. My baby girl. My Tara Lynn. Seeing her for the first time was amazing and so peaceful that I wanted to keep her in my arms for the rest of eternity and share with her everything I knew about the world. Her eyes echoed her father's, blue and vast, orbs that no man could resist staring into forever. Her hair was black and soft, like a crow's silky feather. So much of Damon was in her face that part of me wondered if she was mine at all. That's when I heard her speak for the first time as I simultaneously beheld her sunny face.

_Hi, Mommy._

I smiled, took her into my arms, and tickled her delicate little nose. _Hello, my love. It's nice to finally see you._

Damon shooed away the doctors and cuddled up to me so he could get acquainted with our baby as well. "Hi, little one."

_Hi, Daddy. Why are you crying?_ Her tone carried the worry and innocence of a daughter.

As I looked at his expression, I was shocked to see him shed a tear. It had been a while since I last saw that face. "She says hello." Drawing attention to his lapse in manly façade would only force him to snap out of it and return back to the same old song and dance.

Out of nowhere, the door burst open to reveal the two blockheads, dumb and dumber.

"Where's the baby?"

"Who do I have to compel?"

Damon, as I had feared, lost all sense of sensitivity and rose to his feet with a piercing glare in his eye. "You idiots! You don't just bust in here!"

"Is the baby okay?" Ben asked.

"Is she human?" inquired Cal, a question he felt was exceedingly more important, considering the situation that could arise if she wasn't.

I shrugged, too captivated by the wee thing to care about the two that had entered so abruptly. "She smells human to me." Not to mention her cheeks were rosy and I could hear her pulse.

_Smells human?_

_What? _Ben was making it sound like the idea was too strange for words.

_You said she _smells human, he repeated.

With amazement, I realized what he was trying to say. I allowed Ben to take the baby from my arms and tore away the thin hospital blanket. My belly had snapped back into place like a rubber band. I was a vampire again! It was astounding how great I felt about it. This was the real me, a girl who could never age. I had returned to my perfect state.

The Moretti brothers were slow on the uptake but eventually they too realized what I was.

_I knew that_, Ben claimed mentally as he came to my side. _May I?_

_Of course._ I handed the baby over to him.

Tara giggled and clapped her hands, expressing her joy at her sudden popularity. _Hi, Uncle Ben! I love you!_

He grinned and sat at the end of the bed, cradling my little girl in his arms. _Well, hello to you too, little Tara. I love you very much. Have you been nice to Mommy and Daddy while I was away?_

_Yes I have_, she exclaimed proudly.

As they were having their conversation, a thought popped into my mind and I glared over at my husband as he returned to his place on the bed beside me. "You compelled me!" If I was scary before, I was a terror unlike any other now.

Damon hugged me close, locking his arms tightly around my shoulders. "It's not my fault. You were being unreasonable and it was the only way I could think of to calm you down."

Cal chuckled.

"Shut up!"

"Make me!"

My husband shook his head at his brother and turned his attention back to me. "Anyway, you were human so it didn't really matter, right? It's not like I can do it again."

The death glare penetrated his body and I made an attempt to shove him off the mattress, but it didn't work because he was permanently latched onto my body. "You're lucky I didn't pulverize you into fish bait! You compelled me! I ought to throw you out into the light of day, ring-less." I knew it was a bit over the top, but I didn't appreciate having my mind altered even it was for a good reason at the time.

"I know. I'm sorry, darling." _God, you're super hot when you threaten my life. Now that your oven is bun-less, maybe we could take a tumble in the sack when we get home._ His tone was alluring and his words as vulgar as ever, but I loved him regardless.

Ben gave Damon a disgusted glance but thought it best not to comment. He was busy having a mental conversation with Baby Tara. _Ignore your dad. He's weird._

An hour passed before we decided to get me the heck out of there. The doctor wanted me to stay to make sure the baby and I were okay. Needless to say, that wasn't going to work for me. This time, it was my turn to compel somebody. "You've already concluded I am okay. Just sign my patient's chart and let me go." He didn't have a chance against me. The doctor quickly did as I commanded and wished me "happy trails." It took every fiber of my being to keep myself from eating him.

The five of us headed out and piled into Damon's car. I was faintly curious as to how Cal and Ben found the keys that were in Damon's nightstand, but it wasn't really that important. My husband drove us all back to Moretti Manor, but instead of watching the road his eyes were mainly on our baby and me. His mind relayed a joyful tone and he thanked me numerous times for blessing him with this gift. He had never thought that he could even have children. Once upon a time, when he was human, Damon had wanted a big family. He still did sort of, but that dream was all but lost, tucked away in the back of his mind. Despite the far reach of the aspiration, he was happy to just have the two of us. It had been a while since he thought he could have either a wife or a baby. He used to be someone so arrogant and self-absorbed, but there was a change in him. No longer did he worry only about himself; now he had a family to care for and that cared for him as well.

When we arrived, Tara was very curious about the different rooms as her father and I gave her a tour of the house. We only showed her the downstairs rooms but she seemed to enjoy it—it would have taken more than an hour to show her _every_ room. At the conclusion of the short but entertaining tour, the three of us retired to the living room where Cal and Ben sat patiently. They recognized that we needed a while alone together, new member of the family and all.

The youngest Moretti didn't beat around the bush. He completely cut the bush down and burned it until the thing collapsed into a pile of ashes and blackened wood chips. "Now that Evie's in fighting shape, we should track that S.O.B., Alphaeus, down. We have everyone we need to kick his ass to Timbuktu."

"No," Damon snapped. "Not until we make sure this place is safe."

"Yeah, and watch your mouth around the baby," I added. Then I rotated my head to look curiously at his face. "How are we going to protect the house exactly? The werewolves are great and all, but I doubt that will make much of a difference if they're preoccupied with helping us send Alphaeus into next Tuesday."

Damon clutched my shoulders tightly, but not enough to hurt. "I guess you'll have to stay here and look after the baby until this is all over." _Please._

"No way! I love our daughter and I care about her safety but there is no way I'm going to sit on the sidelines while you guys go out there and get yourselves killed. You just don't want me in the fight!"

"There is another way to deal with this issue, you know," said Ben.

I perked up. "Really?"

He nodded. "If we ensured that this was the residence of a human being, none of the vampires would be able to enter."

"You can do that?" I asked questioningly.

"Yeah."

I looked at his face in disbelief. "How can you be sure?"

"Because your husband just thought of it." _If you were paying attention, you would have noticed._

I turned my attention back to Damon. "Why didn't you say anything about it? I need to get out there and stop him from killing everyone on this freaking planet and you want me to stay here?" Furious is the best way I know to describe what I was feeling but it still doesn't seem to cut it. Revenge for what had happened to my family, my friends, and I hung in the balance and I wasn't about to let my husband throw in the towel for me without my consent. This jerk-wad was going down, if it was the last thing I'd ever do.

_It's not like that, Evie._ "We can't be sure that it _will_ work. Any number of things could go wrong, even with the Powers on our side. Alphaeus has a bunch of monsters on his team and any number of them could be able to get past the 'invitation' rule. If they really wanted to, they could waltz right into the house, take the baby or…" _Kill._

Somehow, I hadn't considered that possibility, but the feeling that I needed to be out in the field on this particular suicide mission was tearing me in two. "I…" _I can't._

"I'll do it."

Everyone, including me, glanced in Grandma Rose's direction as she came into the room and spoke so abruptly.

"I'll watch the baby. I'm too old for the real fighting stuff out there anyhow," she continued. _You're right, young'un. You should be out there no matter what your bozo of a husband thinks. If the roles were switched, there wouldn't be anything you could say to keep him behind either. Go and protect your family._

I wanted to run up to her and kiss her on the cheek. The lady certainly had some spunk if she was willing to take on Damon. I grinned and stuck out my tongue at him. "Guess there's no reason why I can't go now, is there." It was more of a statement than a question. I didn't really care what he had to say on the matter. I was fighting alongside him and that was that.

_Grr…_ _Stupid girls teaming up on me._ "Fine." He wanted to run away, but he decided he should at least try to be mature, especially with his newborn daughter in the room who happened to have a brain that functioned at top speed. He knew she could read his mind and he didn't want to disappoint the little girl's expectations. So he just sat there and endured the situation head on. He pulled out his cellphone and punched in the numbers with the full force of his fingertips. "Hey, Frank. Yeah, I need you to bring over some paperwork. I'd like to add someone to the deed. See you in half an hour." When the call was finished, he slammed the phone on the couch cushion beside him and nearly broke the thing to pieces.

Tara smiled. _Can Daddy hold me now? I think he feels sad._

I smiled right back at her, an involuntary reaction to adorable chubby cheeks and baby dimples. _I think that's a great idea, Tara. _With a whisper, I asked, "Would you like to hold her?" I didn't really give him a choice, gently forcing her on him.

At first, he didn't want to take her. _You just want me to ignore the fact that I'm mad at you. _All it took was one look into our little girl's eyes and he was hooked. _Aw, isn't she cute._ Due to an overdose of concentrated cuteness, he burst and blew on the baby's naked belly.

She giggled at the sound that her tummy was making and it was so delightful that everyone had to laugh along with her. The only exception was Granny Rose and she quickly fled from the scene before she puked from looking at us for too long, her words not mine. It was okay because we didn't really want the old crone around anyway. She was good in a struggle, but otherwise she was about as useful as paint chips.

Ben laughed harder when he heard me thinking that but cooled down a little when the old lady gave him a sharp look from the stairwell. If he had been chewing gum, he would have swallowed it.

_Uncle Ben is silly_, cooed Tara.

He glanced in her direction. _Yeah, kid, but your mom is even more silly._

She looked up at me from her father's arms. _Are you silly, Mommy?_

_Yup_, I thought to her with a smile. _That's me._

Exactly thirty minutes after Damon's phone call, there was a knock at the door. My husband got up and zipped over to the door in half a second to open it. "Frank. On time, as usual. Follow me." He led the man to the living room. "Frank, this is my wife Evie."

"Hello," I greeted sort of awkwardly, shaking his hand as he stretched it forth.

"Nice to meet you."

Damon cuddled our baby tighter. "This is Tara Lynn. Cal you know, and this is Ben, the man I'd like you to speak with. We'll leave you two alone while you take care of the official bit." He nodded for me to get up.

I followed his lead and together the four of us, Cal included, left the house and waited patiently outside in the backyard. Tara loved the snow and was waving her tiny hand at the snowflakes when all of a sudden she sneezed. The three of us whipped our heads around to look at her and realized we had forgotten something very crucial. She was human, which meant she got cold and more importantly she got sick. So the standing outside portion of our waiting didn't last long. We hopped into the sports car and went to the store to gear up.

"What do babies need?" Damon enquired, as if I should know.

"How should I know? I've been doing this just as long as you have, honey." The only experience I had with babies was when I was one, but I hardly remember that part of my life. My parents had never had more kids and Aunt Fauna never had the chance. She kind of thought kids were sticky and gross, so she never really went near them—except for me, of course.

"Well, you can't go in, remember? They'll notice you and figure out you're not dead."

I sighed. "Why'd you guys have to go and make me dead, anyhow? Can't we undo it or something?"

His foot slammed on the brakes as he swerved around some car in the middle of the road. "Nice driving, Grandma!" He saw me shake my head at him and replied to my questions, ignoring the critique of his driving. "I don't know. It was Cal's idea."

"Was not!" Cal objected, sticking his face out of the trunk area into the space between my husband and I. "It was your idea. I wasn't even Cal-conscious yet, you idiot. I barely knew what was going on."

"That's not what's important right now. Evie, you're not going in."

"Stop trying to leave me behind, Damon! I'm going into the completely harmless store. And if you try to say anything else about it, so help me I will turn this car around and leave both of you on the side of the road." They were about to say how that wouldn't be a problem, seeing as they were vampires, so I added, "In Ireland."

Cal frowned and returned to the trunk while Damon merely conceded. "Then we'll have to find you a disguise. Every human within a thirty mile radius will be staring at you which will make it kind of hard to keep them from recognizing you."

I glared at him as we stood in the checkout line, my arms folded as I meant to begrudge the decision to insist on coming into the store. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I think it was the feeling of constantly being left behind that was getting to me. I needed to get back in the action which apparently meant I had to wear a blonde wig and sunglasses that made me look like a certain teenage pop star sensation slash reject. Eight to eighteen year old girls kept coming up to me, asking for me to autograph their teen magazines and ridiculous pop star notebooks. I hastily repelled them with my hungry monster face, dark veins pushing against my skin and eyes all bloodshot, and they scrambled to get out of my way as fast as they could manage with their tiny legs.

Damon was holding back a laugh but let a small chuckle escape from his throat.

I quickly threw him an "I'm going to kill you" look and he shut up without another warning.

It turns out that babies needed a lot more than we had anticipated. The trunk was so full that we made Cal run home with a portion of the groceries stuffed in a backpack he stole from one of those unsuspecting little girls. Naturally, he got to Moretti Manor before us and was able to get some of the stuff out of the packaging so we could get some clothes on Tara before she froze to death. She now wore an ebony dress with white polka dots, red stockings, the tiniest dress shoes I've ever seen, and a faux-fur coat that would hopefully keep her warm. The ensemble was finished off with a ridiculous bow that made her cry until Cal finally took it off her. I would have done the same if I was in her position.

Not too long after we got there, Ben opened the door and shook Frank's hand prior to the man's departure. As soon as the lawyer was gone, we came to the front of the house and patiently stood for him to do the deed.

He smiled at me. "Evie, you may come in." _Let's leave the suckers stew outside for a little bit more._

"Thank you." The invisible vampire politeness barrier allowed me entrance into the human governed house and I headed straight for the fireplace to heat up Tara's nippy nose.

"Damn it, witchy. This is still my family's house. So stop joking around and let us in."

"Hmm… I don't know if I should. After all, you guys are vampires. You could eat me."

"Don't tempt me," Cal sneered.

_Ben._

_Fine. _"You guys can come in, too." As they tried to step over the threshold, he slammed the door in their faces and came to sit by me. _Jeez. Vampires don't have any sense of humor, except you, of course._

_Yeah, well, they've been through enough stress today as it is._

_Right… So what's with the Hannah Montana backpack?_ He let the image of Cal holding the backpack come into his mind.

I shrugged. _I don't know but we're gonna have to burn that thing unless he wants to return it to the kid he stole it from, along with a wig and a pair of sunglasses from a costume shop._

_Ha, ha! Gay!_

_What's 'gay,' Mommy?_

I looked up at Ben with the same stare I had given Damon in the checkout line at the store. I didn't have to say or even think about the reasoning. He understood. My expression changed as I turned my attention to Tara. _That's a bad word that Uncle Ben uses sometimes. Don't say it, okay?_

The Moretti boys came in just in time to see Ben get zapped by my child.

Damon snickered and pushed him out of the way so he could sit down beside me. "Karma's a bitch, ain't it?"

Upon my command, Tara reached out and zapped her father. _Don't say bad words._ Her mental tone was so adorable I gave her a squeeze and repeatedly kissed her cheeks.

Ben and Cal laughed at Damon as he recovered.

"I guess we were right about the baby witch thing, weren't we. Weren't we," I sang to Tara. It made sense already, but this was another piece of evidence to add to the pile.

The werewolves strolled in for a well-deserved break from pretty much doing nothing for the past twenty hours or so and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw me and Tara. Most of them were shocked that I had returned to my more slender figure instantaneously while the others, mainly Connie, stared at the intelligence in my child's eyes. It registered in their minds that I was also a vampire again, but that didn't really seem to matter to any of them. For those reasons collectively, Terrance was the only one to speak.

"What the hell? When did that happen?"

Tara, familiar with the word, decided to bring him down on her own. She loosely pointed her finger at the dog and released a bolt of electricity to shock him until he fell and began convulsing. _Don't say bad words_, she repeated.

"Ow!" Terrance complained. "What was that for?"

Patrick helped his second-in-command to his feet and gestured with his head to the baby. "She learned that swear words are bad, didn't she?"

I nodded.

"Can I hold her?" he asked, coming closer to me and the not-so-happy father.

To be truthful, I didn't want to let her go, but I allowed it anyway. Patrick Elmwood was a reliable ally and holding a cute baby like Tara Lynn was a perk he could appreciate. I handed her over to him and curled up into Damon's side. Without her in my arms, I felt incomplete and I had to thrust myself into a situation where I was whole.

Eventually, every one of those softies wanted to have a turn holding her and it almost drove me crazy. They were trying to take my baby girl away from me and keep her for themselves. My husband yelled in his head as I nearly mutilated the hand I was grasping for peace of mind.

_Evie… Evie. Evie! Evelyn! Hello! You're squeezing the crap out of my hand, darling._

I glanced down and released, though the imprint of my hand remained. "Sorry," I whispered.

He sensed the reason for my distress and got up from the floor. "Alright, guys. It's time for Mom, Dad, and Baby to go to bed. Hand her over." He took Tara from the twins and brought her up into his arms. _Time to go to sleep, little one._ Once I was close enough, he gave her back to me and led the way to the staircase.

"Goodnight, everyone," I called back joyfully, finally in harmony with the space around me.

"Goodnight!"

_Don't make baby number two_, Ben tacked on to the end of his well wish.

_Shut up, Fillmore._ Before he could say anything else, I scurried up the stairs at top speed, dragging Damon along behind me.

Instead, it was from my love that I now had to receive the odd commentary. _Eager, much?_

"In your dreams, pal," I smirked. After I got ready for bed, I slipped in under the covers and beamed as Damon lay down with the baby and placed her in between us. She had a crib, a nice one that Cal had set up while we were having our love fest with the werewolves downstairs, but I wanted to be close to her. We both did, him less so but enough to let me keep her with us. It was going to be hard for me to separate myself from her. I hadn't been pregnant for very long. Nevertheless, I was empty without her. _You're never gonna be alone._


	14. Chapter 14: The Final Countdown

Chapter Fourteen:

The Final Countdown

Tara Lynn continued to progress in ways that were awe-inspiring for every single one of us. She was developing like a normal human baby would in the way of physical attributes. It was her mental and magical development that was stunning everyone into silence time and time again. In the few weeks or so that she had been alive, she managed to learn so much about everyone and, while she couldn't speak, her understanding was phenomenal. Ben and I were trying to help her control herself when it came to her powers and it was easier for her to learn than it was when I gave it a go. She still shocked people when they said a bad word, so everyone avoided upsetting her for fear they were going to be sent flying across the room only to end up paralyzed. Occasionally, she'd slip up and misuse her gifts, but it was normally the simple things. If her father or I said we wanted something, it would suddenly appear within reach and we'd have to scold her. It wasn't easy reprimanding a baby that couldn't even walk yet. Nonetheless, we had to do it. We knew the brevity of the situation and she had to learn it wasn't good to treat her powers with such indifference.

She wasn't the only one that needed to learn. Each day, I inched myself away from my separation anxiety and was gradually able to be away from Tara longer. I could see her and watch over her from afar and that would have to do. After the first two weeks, Damon decided that it would be best if we got out of the house at least once a day. There were plenty of strong, capable bodyguards in the house to protect our little one, so we could leave for a couple hours and it would help everyone out. After that, Damon towed me out of the house for a short amount of time seven days a week and distanced us from the property by at least a few miles, but we stayed close enough in case we were needed.

It was on one of these trips that we were now enjoying the mid-January afternoon. The air was crisp, delectable in the way it carried so much of its surroundings—the pine trees clean aroma, the squirrels hibernating in their little notches, and the owl that insisted on letting everyone know it had gone to sleep and would not be disturbed. The snow beneath our feet crunched like M&M's, without the chocolaty deliciousness that I no longer cared for so much. It was beautiful, but I still wanted to be at home holding my newborn, watching her experience the world hour by hour and minute by minute. What use to me were the air, the pine trees, the squirrels, the owl, and the snow without her here to share in the experience with me? I had already seen all of these things before and I wanted to be with her.

All of a sudden, the phone rang and the first thing that came into my mind was that something had happened to our little girl. Damon took it out of his pocket and reluctantly brought the dreaded technology to his ear. "Yes, what do you want?" _Oh, no._ His expression changed from indifference to apprehension and he hastily stowed away the object and bolted through the forest back the way we had come.

I chased after him, unaware of what had occurred but wishing it had nothing to do with our baby. It wasn't long before I caught up with him and, shortly after that, we were home again. "What is it?" I breathed harshly.

_Alphaeus._ We rushed inside and everyone was instantly on the alert.

"What's happened?" Patrick inquired just as bleakly.

"Listen up, guys!" Damon called for their attention, rounding up the werewolves, vampires, and witches that were present—only our human player, Ian, was absent. Once they were all sitting around where he stood in the middle of the living room, he continued, "Alphaeus has been spotted outside of town in an abandoned house just off the highway. According to my source, he hasn't been here long, but there is a large possibility that he'll be coming directly in to town sometime soon. He's not alone. His numbers have grown at least half a dozen times what we had anticipated. We don't know much of the specifics, but we can assume they have some creatures we're not prepared to handle. What we do know is that we need to start knuckling down." He turned to my best friend. "Witchy, call up Ian and get his A-word over here." Then he switched his attention to Patrick. "Alpha dog, reset the perimeter and go with Strategy B. We need to lead these suckers to our own turf. Hopefully, they'll take the bait." Then he turned to me. "Evie—"

I vigorously shook my head. "Don't even think about making me stay behind. I know how to hold my own in a fight, so don't call me inexperienced either. Just let me in on this plan of yours and I'll do my part." I was going to sock the man in the neck and let him choke on his vocal chords.

Ben chuckled at the image and spoke his mind. "Why don't you stick with Cal? He'll watch out for you, won't you Cal? Someone needs to protect our most important player."

_I hate you. _"Yeah, I'll take out the big ones for you. We could use you on the field."

"No," Damon contradicted. "You're with me." _Obviously. _"Cal, just keep to the strategy and we'll be fine." _There's no way I'm letting him within two inches of you. Not again._

I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arm around his waist. "Sure thing, honey. You and me."

_Good._ He smiled before he looked back to the others. "It's go time. Get to it and remember the signal. We need to make sure this works out. Until Alphaeus gets here, we're going to be at our stations around the clock. You need a break, you call one of us and wait until we can get there before you leave your post. This is war, people. No one's gonna slip under the radar while we're still breathing. Now get outta here. I don't want to see your ugly mugs until the time is right." He copied my pose, taking my waist and rushed out the backdoor to the backyard.

We stopped just short of the marble fountain, too frozen to function. Together, we sat on the bench across the way and waited for Damon to speak. He had something on his mind, I could tell even without my mindreading abilities, but this was something he had to say out loud.

"You can't come with us," he finally whispered.

"And why the heck not?"

He stared me down. "I can't lose you, Evie. I won't. I know you keep saying that you need to be out there, but I need you right where you are now, in one piece."

I didn't want to be insensitive, but as I had explained a hundred times already I wasn't about to get benched. "Ben and Rose have taught me a lot over the past few weeks. I'm really getting the hang of this, and I'm not just saying that for your benefit. I'm going to be in this. No offense, but I grew up here and these are my people even if I can't show my face around town anymore. I won't leave them while I'm perfectly capable of taking down some vampires. If we don't, we can't know what will happen, but it's not going to be good." _Although, I may end up brainwashed and start sucking people dry alongside the enemy for the rest of eternity. That'll be fun…_ My Alphaeus nightmare from way back was practically branded into my head and no matter what I did it wouldn't leave. Either way, I wouldn't be dead, right?

"You won't even consider it?"

I tenderly caressed his cheek with my fingertips and pressed my lips to his. As I pulled away, I shook my head.

He sighed a thousand complaints into the air, turning the sweet smell into a bitter crabapple no one likes biting into. "You drive me crazy, you know that?"

Leaning against his side, feeling his arms cradle around me, I replied, "You wouldn't love me otherwise." He worried too much about aspects of life he couldn't always control, but desperately desired to. Often times, he would go to the most extreme measures, like this. He'd rather lock me up in a tower than let me fight for myself, but I understood why. I never enjoyed Damon going out and risking his neck for me, so it wasn't that hard to switch the roles and imagine how concerned he was for my safety.

Without any further discussion, we lounged on the frigid, uncomfortable bench and that's the last thing I remember.

Minutes seemed to pass before I awoke from what I thought was a dreamless sleep. Damon conveyed his surprise and both of us wondered how I could have slept at all out there, especially since the day was only half over. I merely shrugged off the feeling and led the way inside.

Ben met us at the door and had his arms out to me before I could understand what was happening.

In an instant, I dropped into his waiting arms like I suddenly hadn't any bones to keep me standing. The moment our skin touched, it all came rushing back to me. The images flipped through my head like the pages of an instruction manual, but it all made sense to me somehow. The first few were ingredients for a spell, some herbs, matches, a bowl, and the blood of a pure witch. Next came the image of an old, leather-bound book with Greek letters and a pentagram on the front. The last of these was a woman standing before the altar where Ben and I stood, performing the ritual.

Damon scooped me up and placed me on the couch as I came to.

I immediately glanced over at Ben when I could finally see and gave him a nod. He understood what I needed him to do and left on a retrieval mission.

Once he was gone, my husband knelt by my side. "What was that about? Are you okay?" It seemed like I couldn't go five minutes without hearing the worry in his voice. His wasn't like most. He would morph into the 7th grade History teacher who was wondering where you left your paper on the Revolutionary War, serious and unwavering.

"Yes, I'm okay." I didn't continue until a couple minutes later when Ben returned from Rose's room with the woman herself and the supplies we needed. He cleared off one of the end tables and organized everything around the metal bowl he placed in the center. Then he came over to me and kept me standing up until I was sure I could stay upright on my own. "In ancient times, during the creation of the first vampires, there were many more monsters born by God including the world's Original Witch. God cast these children into the light of day and, according to the counsel of God, she was sent forth to walk among the pureblood humans until the day that her deed was done and God called her back home. Before the Original Witch returned to the council of Heaven, she stayed on the Earth for thousands upon thousands of years."

"Whoa. Hold on," Damon called out as he remained by the couch and got to his feet. "How do you know all that?"

"I don't know. I just do. Since those pictures collided into me, I suddenly know a lot of things and it all makes sense now." _Like why I'd ever walk down the street with Alphaeus and… Yuck. _It wasn't telling me a possible outcome of my future. The dream was telling why she had to come back. Sariah. I opened the book to the page I knew would have the words and began chanting as I placed bladder wrack, white willow, althea root, and wormwood one by one into the bowl. The last ingredient I required couldn't come from me, though. The blood had to come from a _pure_ witch, which I was not. I peered down at the dagger on the table and, picking it up, I turned to Ben.

His arm was already out and waiting, his wrist now directly over the bowl.

I skimmed the surface of his flesh, avoiding major arteries, and let the ruby droplets drip overtop the plants. Part of me craved the lollipop red liquid, but it was a considerably small part that was easily stomped out. I used the blade to mix the bowl full of interesting odors and lit a match, dropping it as I finished the ritual.

Immediately following the final words, the entire house shook as smoke rose from the bowl. Those who were presently inside stumbled about and clung to the floor or pieces of furniture. Grandma Rose, Ben, and Damon, but not me. I was somehow able to stay erect as the black smog enveloped me prior to shoving its way into my body through my mouth and nostrils. The ebony ash burned up my nose and up into my brain, encasing it until it eventually just took over.

When my eyes next opened, it was upon someone else's command.

The ground had ceased quaking by then and Damon slowly rose once more to a standing position. "Evie?"

"Sorry, no," my voice answered. "My name is Sariah. Evie was kind enough to lend me her body until her debt was settled."

"Where's Evie?!" he demanded.

She smiled. "She's here, Damon. I've only taken over the wheel for a while. She's still in the passenger's seat." She glanced down at Grandma Rose and Ben and helped each of them up, but quickly returned to speaking. "You and I have a common goal. We both want to see the poser Alphaeus's head on a spike."

Damon eyed her suspiciously and crossed his arms. "Oh, really? We want him dead because he's gonna turn the world to fig pudding. Why do you want his black light snuffed out?" His pointed pupils hovered over the form of his possessed wife.

Sariah could see my thoughts as well as Damon's and knew he would be no easy feat. "I have a score to settle, just like he has a score to settle with you for killing his sister." The corner of her lips turned up. "Nice job, by the way. Cerebella was a whore if I ever saw one."

"Ah huh." Damon pursed his lips and the depth of his brow plummeted, overshadowing his beautiful, blue eyes.

"I know you don't trust, and that's okay. I don't need your trust, but I do need your werewolves. While I am perfectly capable of tearing that abomination to shreds on my own, I rather not damage this vessel. I'm sure that's something you can appreciate."

"So you're not immortal?" _She can't keep Evie safe?_

"Not in that way. This is still her body. I am merely the consciousness of my former self. I brought with me my knowledge, my powers, and my memories, but when Evie and Ben called me from the Spirit realm they left behind a body of my own. That's why I need her and why I'd prefer to do this with you instead of doing so alone." She wasn't making the sale at this point. "If it will help, I will ensure your wife's safety."

He nodded, his jaw locked in place. If he did anything to Sariah, it would only be hurting me and that would be counterproductive. "Fine." That was his "I really hate what you're up to but I'll pretend I'm okay with it" word. _Not likely._

With a sigh, she took a piece of paper from the pocket of my jeans and waved her palm over it, and then she handed it to Damon.

"What's this?" he inquired half-heartedly.

"That is the exact time and location this battle will be taking place. Be prepared and say your goodbyes while you still have enough breath to say them." She sensed a darkness within him and stepped closer. Without his consent, she grabbed his arm and placed one hand on the wound that no longer showed itself to human eyes.

"What are you doing?" These were the last words he would be able to say for a minute or two.

Her palm glowed brighter than the light of the sun and a black poison rose up from his blood cells like oil in water. Then she thought a word in our collective mind, a word that sucked the harmful substance from his arm and evaporated it into the air.

As she leeched the poison from the wound, he held back a cry of pain that would have deafened the ears of anyone within a mile of that house. Way back, my best friend Tara had turned into a werewolf and bit him, a simple gnawing motion that sent him into a state that could only be subsided and never cured, at least not by our methods. Thanks to her, any remnant of werewolf venom was gone.

"Your blood is now pure." Pivoting on the heel of our shoe, we left into the backyard after gesturing for Ben to follow leaving Damon to stare at his arm in wonder.

In the garden, she had many things to discuss with the primary witch and warlock of the group. She had to be sure their strategy was solid and, seeing as I knew nothing of their plans, she couldn't merely critique them based on knowledge she could easily access. Ben told her everything she wanted to know because he trusted his predecessor. His lineage could be traced all the way back to her, and for that purpose they shared a familial bond, much like mine and his. It was easy for him to speak with her as long as she looked like me. Other topics were discussed, questions answered, and not all of them pertained to the battle directly. Some were merely ideas that could possibly aid the outcome to turn in our favor. Sariah enjoyed speaking with Ben. She could see his potential to do much good in the world and knew that at least he would be fighting in her name, the name of justice and all things pure. He was a true warrior of God.

Once their magical matters were settled, she excused herself and stayed behind in the meeting place. She could feel a pair of eyes watching her every move from the upstairs window and felt a pang of guilt for taking me as her vessel. I had been a willing customer, but not all parties had been given consent and that was something she was going to regret for a while yet.

Sariah sat on the edge of the fountain and touched the ice with the tip of her finger, turning it back to its original state. The water acted as a mirror and reflective surfaces such as these gave sight to a person's true form. In this case, she was able to speak to me directly as she beheld my countenance in the clear substance. "Hello, Evelyn. I wanted to talk with you."

I shrugged. "It's not like I'm currently busy or anything. Shoot."

"With your permission, I would like to retrieve something. It will take some time and we won't return until an hour prior to the battle's commencement." Her tone was kind, like a loving mother who only desired her child's happiness.

"Sure. What will we be getting on this adventure quest?"

"A sword that has long since been buried. It is my companion and I will need it if I'm going to bring forth the entirety of my abilities."

I looked past her to my husband who was peering down at us from his window. He couldn't see me, only an Original Witch talking to herself. "Shouldn't we tell the others first?"

"Of course," Sariah agreed readily. "I will let your friend know and he will share the news of our departure with everyone else. We must leave quickly if we are going to get back in time."

I thought of my baby that was asleep upstairs, completely unaware that anything was different. "Okay."

"Alright, then. Let's go." She gracefully rose from her perch by the fountain and we ventured into the house to relay our plans. Then we took off towards the East in search of this mystical companion sword that she seemed to love so much. All the while, I wished that we could go back and say goodbye to my husband. He shouldn't have to worry. I would apologize once this was all over, and I would survive this so I could get the chance.

Without delay, we raced across the terrain until we reached the coast. From there, we swam across the Atlantic all the way to the island those British people referred to as England. Then on to the outskirts of a town called Lutterworth where a mausoleum was built for the Lockwood family. All of this took about two days. The weight of a second consciousness took its toll on our speed and it took nearly twice as long to arrive at that precise location.

_Why here?_ I asked. It seemed like an odd place for someone like her to stash such a "valuable" object.

"After I was called back to heaven, my body was left to lie on the ground where I had been standing on January 26th, 1592. On the travels of a young man by the name of William from town to his home in the country, he happened upon my remains and took the sword from my cold, dead fingers. The sword changed hands many times after that until a man named Wilfred Lockwood asked that the blade be buried with him as one of his possessions for the afterlife. It's been here ever since." Her memories soaked into my head and I saw all the names of the people who had touched the hilt of that legendary blade.

_So you think it's still here? Ever heard of grave robbers?_

She laughed. "The power of my magic still reminiscent in the metal prevents malicious figures from touching it. If they have ill intent, such as robbing, it would kill them instantly." She acted like this should have been obvious for someone of my background, like I was so careful with all of my possessions.

_Instantly? That's a bit harsh for picking up a sword._ In other words, no. I didn't hex every piece of jewelry or gift I'd ever gotten. It didn't seem normal.

"I protect my things well," she clarified as we stood in the shadow of the mausoleum.

For a while, we stood there and she allowed me to take in my surroundings. I guess it was just like any other cemetery, they all seem to look alike, but it was very secure. We had arrived around twilight on the 24th, almost a couple days since I was in Wolfcrest. The full moon was two days away, but it still managed to light up the murky colored grass with its vibrant shine. The weather was clear, no scary movie fog or anything of the sort. It was just peaceful, the silence before the storm.

The decent sized mausoleum that sat in front of us was tall, at least taller than the willow tree planted beside it and probably just as old, like many of the grave markers and statues that adorned the place. It made sense since, according to Sariah, it had been around for centuries. The roof was a dome, unlike the other few that stood nearby, and the pillars went all around the building instead of merely at the front. Because of this odd shape, the wrought iron double doors were rounded. It was on those doors that the name of Lockwood was welded on. Surrounding the letters was a pattern of leaves that resembled the kind found with mistletoe around Christmas. It was odd to see something so festive on a place that meant death had conquered the lives of many. Then again, it all seemed odd to me to keep bodies lying around in such an expensive tomb. For me, putting them in a box and burying also seemed like a bit much, but I guess it was more a ceremonial thing for the families.

It didn't take long for me to get bored. I was tired of standing around. We needed to get back so I could join the action. I wasn't about to miss it now. _Well, what are you waiting for? Let's crack this walnut._

Sariah stepped forward a foot and held up our left palm. With a simple thought, the door exploded right off its hinges and plummeted to the ground a few yards away.

_Nice job._

"Thanks." She entered the large structure and looked at the marble coffin within, her voice echoing in the cavernous place.

There were torches by the doorway and sconces all around, but we didn't need light to see thanks to my vampire vision. I could tell how odd it was for her to have an immortal body. While she was alive, she was impervious to the elements, but in a different way. Her body still acted very much like that of a human's with normal eyes, ears, and legs. The only thing that was special about her was her ability to stay young forever and that in itself was a gift from her father.

In the dark, I could see the crest on the wall. Many of the decorations were gilded, like the shield and swords that hung in select intervals of the circular room. Even the marble coffin that was positioned in the very center was adorned with certain gold detailing. Then there were a few statues of the Greek gods and goddesses—Artemis, Athena, Ares, and Zeus—because who couldn't use a few of those hanging around. It was all a bit excessive for a dead guy who wouldn't be able to see anything for the next few hundred years or so, however long it would take for this world to end and start anew.

_Dang. This guy certainly had cash to burn. What was he?_

She pushed the half-ton lid onto the floor with ease. "A private collector born into a rich family."

I sighed. _Isn't that always the case? _The question was rhetorical, but I truly felt that way. A lot of people with money were born thus. Even the Morettis, a family of wealth, had come by their money a long time ago, so by the time it had reached Cal and Damon it had been in their family for generations. Their father had never worked for a dime of it and so easily became a founder of a town just by flashing his family jewels. It made me sick.

Inside the marble coffin sat the skeletonized remains of Mr. Wilfred Lockwood. He had a few million dollars' worth of necklaces and jewels in there along with a tailored suit I could only imagine cost more than I would make as a doctor for an entire year. Rich people seemed to do a lot of stuff like that. Despite all of his reach, he didn't look like the happiest fellow in the world, still clutching what I presumed to be the sword we were looking for. She broke away the bits of dead guy that clung to her property and held it out with a sigh of relief. As she touched it, the sword glowed gold as if it was happy to see her, too. "Hello, old friend." She searched the coffin once more and picked up a brown, leather belt that carried the weight of the sheath. Hastily, she put on the belt and returned her blade to its proper place by her side.

_Why exactly do we need this heirloom of yours again? What else can it do?_ Unfortunately, my questions would have to wait.

Police sirens rang out like cries as squad cars approached the cemetery. In that moment, Sariah could feel my hunger. I hadn't eaten in a while and if we weren't careful one or all of those policemen would be dead. To prevent this terrifying event, we sprinted all the way to the border and made the return journey as fast as we could go in my condition.

Due to my hunger, much of my eternal strength was drained, so we got there literally five minutes before the battle was to take place. As we arrived, we took a shortcut through the forest and ended up face to face with the one man neither of us wanted to see.

Alphaeus.


	15. Chapter 15: Bad Moon Rising

Chapter Fifteen:

Bad Moon Rising

January 26th, 2013, a full moon had risen, casting a spotlight on the enemy. In a flash, we used our remaining strength to run towards the clearing, whistling to the others as loud as we could while we whipped through the trees. We could hear as the werewolves, having already changed by the forces of nature into their monster forms, pulling in close behind to escort us to the battleground. When we arrived to the clearing, Damon and the others were already standing around waiting like this was a problem to so easily brush off the shoulder.

With all of us together, we formed ranks and watched intently as the enemy joined us on the field. Like the Great Darkness I'd had so many nightmares about, Alphaeus and his minions approached like black smog ready to devour everything in its path. There were at least one hundred vampires in total, not including the Original or the witch hybrid that stood close beside him like a guard dog. Amongst the horde was about another dozen and a half creatures that none of us earthlings were familiar with.

_What are those?_ I questioned Sariah nervously.

Together, we looked upon the mysterious monsters, anxious but undaunted. "It looks like Alphaeus has been recruiting demon scum," she choked out. In her thoughts, she called them each by name.

The first of these was a phoenix. It looked human in appearance but anyone with a sniffer like us monsters could tell the difference between the species. This was something new, a person who could apparently burn people by willing their internal magma outward. It sounded cool—at least it would have if there wasn't one about to wipe the floor with us. He appeared to be the Original's second in command. It was all about where he stood, only a foot away from the testy vampire's flank.

Then there was something called a "Leshy" or a tree guardian. He was abnormally tall with pale white skin and dark green eyes. A woman was also among them, a Selkie, with incredibly long brown hair that seemed wild. She was said to be able to create illusions and a false sense of reality in members of the opposite sex. A Wendigo was also in their midst, a face that would have been easily spotted in a crowd with his scary, long fingernails that looked more like daggers and his animalistic features. The only other one that stood out to me was the Black Annis, a haggard woman with long claws and yellowed fangs that poked out of her mouth to rest on her lower lip.

The others of the group were labeled as Encantados, Kitsunes, Zuijin, Skinwalkers, Vetala, Crocotta, Black Eyed Beings, and even a few that she knew the name of but refused to speak them. Many of the ones Sariah spoke of in her thoughts were meant to do good, left to remain untainted by evil. Somehow, Alphaeus had turned them to the side of evil. The deed was despicable.

Ian, the human who was still processing that his niece-to-be was being mind-melted by Glenda the good witch, counted each of them without bothering to know what they were. "Hundred-n-twenty to fourteen, huh?" His voice quivered.

Damon smiled. "I like those odds." If I had full control of my arms, I would have slapped that dope of mine upside the head.

The enemy lines stopped marching about half the length of a football field away and Sariah quickly closed off the ropes of the arena with my "lover's shield" as Rose had called it before. The purple hue surrounded everyone involved, containing the fight. Step one was complete.

"Sariah," Alphaeus called to her with a surprised expression closely followed by a creepy half-grin. "It is nice to see you again, my love." _I have been longing for another night with you. _He didn't know that either of us could read his mind, not yet anyway, but if he did he would have added a few more words to that sentence.

"Call me that again and I'll turn you to ashes right here and now." His voice made my skin crawl. _Go die in a hole_, I added curtly.

His grin grew ever wider. "You're a vampire now, love. I can merely compel you and this could all be over."

"Not bloody likely." She cast the first stone, turning everything to chaos at precisely ten o'clock, just like she had predicted. Unsheathing her sword, she chanted some magical mumbo jumbo and produced an enormous orb of fire in one hand. Leaving the orb in mid-air, she wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword and hit the ball right out of the park.

_Homerun!_

_Alright! _Ben reciprocated.

Unfortunately for everyone, fire didn't do much to Originals, and merely singed his sleeves. With a scowl, he brushed off the soot from his arms and glared at Sariah. "This was my favorite shirt. You really should not have done that," he rebuked.

She grinned as if we had already won. "Then let's see how you like this!" Bringing her arms in close to her chest, she bent down and chanted some hocus pocus, communing with her blade. The chant grew louder and louder as yet another fireball encircled my body. Suddenly, my feet were no longer making contact with the ground and we levitated at least a couple of feet in the air. The flames cultivated around us until anyone with eyes would have mistaken my form as a sun, an unwelcome contrast from the darkness of night. At the last minute, our feet touched down and Sariah pushed the full force of the fire, sending it hurtling towards Alphaeus once more.

This time the ball of flames managed to decimate their troops by twenty-five vampires that were closest to him, though sadly not the phoenix or any of the other creatures that didn't even seem to be startled by the sudden attack. Alphaeus, on the other hand, was furious. He looked down at his shirt that now lay atop the snow in a pile of ashes. He glanced to his left and nodded swiftly to Phoenix. Phoenix took this as a command and led the charge towards our ranks.

And just like that, the battle had officially begun.

As they neared Damon and the others, my consciousness seemed to dwindle. It seemed she couldn't allow me to hang around for much longer. I was making her weaker, so I allowed myself to leave my body. Instead I floated high above the battlefield and watched from above, pissed that I had somehow been benched despite all of my efforts combined to stay in the game. Why couldn't fate just give this one to me? I had certainly earned it.

The view was incredible. I could see everything that was going on and with my vampire senses I didn't miss a struggle. As the devilish grunts approached, Alphaeus stayed behind and fumed as Sariah easily cut through the line. Those newborn twerps were no match for her and he knew that too. I heard the unaffected waves of his mind. She dashed forward to meet him in combat.

My gaze moved from the two undefeated champs to the others of our gang. Damon was channeling his frustration into ripping the heads off of vampire after vampire. He wasn't sure what was going on between Sariah and the Original bloodsucking fiend, but he was going to remove as much of those dweebs as he could manage to keep me safe, even if I wasn't checked into my body. Several vampires surrounded him but he easily eluded them, appearing behind one that had tried to pounce on him. Then he grabbed the vamp's head with both hands and tore it right off its shoulders. It was certainly impressive, a skill I didn't even know he had. Part of me beamed, expressing how proud I was as the wife of an immortal superhero-slash-god.

Ben didn't appear to be having any trouble either. He encircled his prey in a bubble, encasing half a dozen grunts in a blue force field they couldn't escape. Then he blasted them with that spectacular tornado of death that Rose had made him demonstrate for me what seemed like weeks ago. I didn't realize until now that the spell was so taxing on his strength. He wasn't going to be able to do it again but he figured it was best to get as many out of the way. It was his duty, after all, as a warlock, one of the only magical beings on the team. He wasn't as worried about me as my husband was, primarily because he knew I would be safe as long as Sariah was with me. She had enough strength for the both of us. He just prayed that her personal vendettas wouldn't cloud her mind and distract her from the main goal here.

The werewolves, for the most part, appeared to be having fun. They gnawed on several combatants like they were chew toys, harmless between their teeth. The first one they had their sights set on was the Wendigo with the attitude. There was only room enough for one beasty in this battle and it sure as heck wasn't going to be that guy. Some of their thoughts centered on how tough it must be for him to walk down the street. He wasn't about to get a lot of attention from the ladies either. Connie stayed beside Ben the whole time as did Patrick, taking out stragglers that tried to sneak up behind my best friend. While it was true that he had abilities and could stand up for himself, they weren't about to take any chances and lose one of our most important players. We couldn't afford to lose him and neither of them wanted to see a man go down. The twins, Rick and Jeremy, tagged team while the others went off on their own to annihilate the enemy's numbers. They always did act like they were a good partnership, brothers that were not shaken by outside forces. If anyone was going to pick a fight, they would take them down in seconds.

Ian was the only one I was honestly worried about. The others held out on their own having some special ability of some kind, but I had no idea whether or not he would survive this. After all, he was only human. Unlike the rest of us—except for Ben—he couldn't see in the dark without his night vision goggles and his strength was average at best. He shouldn't have been alone like Damon and Cal were, ripping limbs with ease and grinning. Why was it then that the others felt inclined to let him do his own thing on our front? Why was he alone?

I quickly learned the reason for this as Ian tore the pin out of a valerian grenade and chucked it casually into a crowd of vamps. The shrapnel and burning liquid shot in all directions, just missing the Moretti brothers. Had they been any closer, they would have been hit. Now that the goons were distracted, he pulled out an automatic stake gun and took out another half a dozen all on his own.

Everyone was just fine as they wrecked the vampires' status quo, that is until the Phoenix and his entourage—the Selkie and the Leshy—the joined the game. So far, they had pretty much stood on the sidelines, watching the werewolves' movements, studying them closely from afar. Once they recognized the pattern of their plays, the Phoenix slowly stepped into the center of the field closely followed by the other two and waited patiently for one of the dogs to notice him. Martin was the first to make a pass at the fiery monster and charged like he had with all the others. He didn't know that this monster was nothing like a vampire. Vampires were quick but headstrong and they never worried twice about their survival if blood was offered. This creature was persistent, calculating each outcome as an action was completed, much like his two amigos. It wasn't going to be as easy as going for the throat.

As Martin went to take a bite out of the guy's shoulder, the phoenix put his palms out and one touch is all it took for the unknowing werewolf to turn to ash.

This got the attention of the rest of the pack and soon Neal and Billy followed in Martin's footsteps, full speed ahead. The Selkie took a different approach with the werewolf that charged at her. She grinned as she pulled images into Neal's head. Somehow, she was able to convince him without speaking that the person by her side was the real villain. The way he saw it was that the three monsters had vanished from his view. As he frantically looked around, he saw one come up alongside him. Determined to end this fight with his teeth, he sunk them deep into something and broke bones until the creature fell. Once reality was apparent to him, he saw his friend Billy lying dead on the snow. Angered, he aimed for his original target. However, the creatures were prepared and well equipped. Vines sprouted from the Leshy's wrists and wrapped themselves around Neal's neck, constricting his airways until he collapsed to the ground.

Jeremy, one of the twins, came up from behind them and knocked them all face first into the mess they had made of blood, fur, and ashes. There was no way these evil jerks were going to go unchallenged.

The other dweeb that was giving my guys trouble was the creation, the vampire witch. Had I been able to join the fight, this was the boor I would have taken down first. Instead, Ben was left to keep him at bay until he had the time and energy to show him who was boss.

Not to sound selfish, but once I saw that the other bigwigs were being dealt with, I turned my focus on the two biggest of wigs, Alphaeus and Sariah. The show they were putting on was most entertaining for the girl stuck in the clouds during the good fight, not to mention she was using my body to get the job done. I was kind of protective of my flesh.

Alphaeus and Sariah were so evenly matched that I honestly couldn't tell who would win. The Vampire had his claws and his sharp, pointy teeth to defend himself with. The Witch had my powers, a vast knowledge of spells I didn't even know existed, and a sword that had lasted through the millennia. When things of that sort began slowing down, Alphaeus pulled his sword from its sheath and they fought with blades alone—for the most part. The bantering is mostly what held my attention.

"If you honestly wanted to see me without my shirt on, all you had to do was ask," he spoke with a suave tone, coming close enough to her to almost touch noses.

She shoved him backward with a jolt of electricity and scratched his cheek, a wound that rapidly healed. "Don't flatter yourself. I haven't thought about you that way for six hundred years and I'm not about to start now."

Alphaeus kept his creepy smirk in place and lunged his common sword for my chest.

The attempt was blocked and the sound of clanking metal echoed like the thundering cry of stones rushing down a mountain during an avalanche.

Back and forth, they continued. It was simple enough to tell that Alphaeus enjoyed seeing her once more and being able to talk with her because he allowed the fight to go on in this tedious way so he could have a chance to speak. "You do not still hold a grudge about me killing you, do you? That was lifetimes ago and you know why I had to do it. God commanded me to."

"Yeah, right. I'm sure you were just itching to cut my throat, you traitor."

He ignored her name-calling and blocked her following strike. "Remember those nights when we would dance naked under the moonlight and then when dawn came we would retire to our hut and make love until we fell asleep in each other's arms?" With this he sliced along my arm and watched pleasantly as blood ran down my sleeve for a moment before the wound sealed itself up. "You kept me company," he continued. "When I could not show my face out of doors, you stayed by my side." He remembered these times with a fondness and let them roam untamed in his mind. The memories turned sour once another man entered the picture. "Then _he_ was created and you left me behind, proving to me that you were never anything more than a greedy, little whore."

This cruel word stunned her and she didn't look like she was going to move away from the incoming blow.

_Sariah, he's going for our chest!_ I squealed at her.

She dodged the swinging blade at the last minute and groaned. _You're not helping._

Had I been able to feel my face, I would have instinctively bit my lip as a form of unspoken apologies. _Sorry… Force of habit._

"Blandus needed my help more than you did. You had your beloved sister to tuck you in at night and no matter what I did you wouldn't believe anything I said as long as she was telling you a different bedtime story. If anyone came between us, it was her!"

"How dare you talk ill of my sister," he shouted. "Cerebella was a jewel!" This was a lie he honestly believed. He had no reason to think bad about his kin.

"She was a prick and a scoundrel, not that you would have noticed. You were never the brightest crayon in the box. Cerebella wanted you all to herself so I went where I was most wanted. You know what happens to werewolves when they change for the first time. Blandus was nothing more than a friend and at the first ill thought, you tried to kill me for merely speaking to him. You don't own me, Alphaeus, and you never did." Sariah jumped as the Vampire went for her knees.

"Do you know what I am going to do to your precious world, Sariah? I am going to sit back and watch it burn. Let the rivers run red!" he cheered with a malevolent beam. Somehow, during the course of time I had not been paying any particular attention to them, Alphaeus had learned of my abilities and knew we could hear his thoughts. He brought us on an adventure of blood and carnage, confirming my nightmares that I had feared for weeks. The world was dank and dark with humans as cattle to be feasted on whenever and wherever. No longer were vampires going to hide out in fear. They would become the superior race in quality and number to prove their worth. Vampires would rule the world. "And it is all thanks to you, my love."

Whatever was going on here, I was lost to the bigger picture. All that I could make out was two Originals were angry about an ancient tiff that started out way before my time. The one part that lingered on my mind was, _you guys were really a couple? Gross. _The thought made me want to shudder in disgust. To think that anyone would shack up with this guy was way beyond my understanding. It didn't help that as they spoke, the scenes were playing out in their minds. Alphaeus pictured the two of them prancing around in their birthday suits and getting all sweaty in a dingy shack in the middle of nowhere. It made me want to vomit. What made it worse was when the thoughts echoed in Sariah's mind from her perspective, it was like those things were happening to me and I almost blew chunks all over. Some vulgar, British Original vampire was on top of me and I felt the saliva run down the nape of my neck. Being a mind-reader was a curse without a doubt, one I would gladly be rid of. _Thanks a lot, Fillmore._

_I didn't exactly have a lot of options_, she thought defensively. _You try going more than a hundred years without a bunk buddy and see how you turn out._

_No thanks, lady. I'm good with my average vampire husband over there, but I'm grateful for the suggestion._

After that, it got even weirder. Not in the sense that people were describing their personal lives in full detail but more because the struggle was heading south. Alphaeus was getting more and more hits than misses which meant my meager vampire form was losing energy. Sariah understood this as well and mumbled something magical to her trusty sword as if our lives depended on it, because it did. As soon as she was done, the metal glowed with a bright, vibrant purple hue that drew the attention of many including her opponent. With one foul swoop, she brought the edge of her sword across his chest, slashing the flesh in its path. Unlike the other cuts, this one didn't stop bleeding.

Sariah grinned as she stumbled backwards. "My sword doesn't seem to favor you, lover."

In a peak of anger, Alphaeus snatched up her wrist and squeezed until every bone in my wrist was broken. The cracks were deafening as each bone crumbled. Then when Sariah was completely taken off-guard, he pointed the gem of his ring at my heart and willed it to release a bolt of red lightning into the depths of my body, paralyzing me. He took her sword from the ground and drove the blade straight through the useless organ, ripping it out just as forcefully. "I think it disagrees." Sariah tumbled, her cheek falling to the white powder. He stooped down by my ear and whispered. "I will be back for you. Together we will rule the world." Then he kissed my lips, a sentiment intended for her and made his way towards the remainder of the rabble. His next target was Damon. He was the one who had given the command for the wolves to rip his sister to undeserved shreds. His revenge wouldn't be complete until he held the vampire's heart so he could pulverize it in his vengeance-seeking hands.

The score was eighty-seven to four—ish—and yet it was hard to tell who was winning. There were still thirteen vampires, not to mention those pesky other guys which was about a fifth of their troops and they were the best of them, too, or so it appeared. Fighting against these malicious doorknobs was getting tougher for my friends and family. Three men and a possessed she-witch down and all of a sudden it was "Good night, Charlie." However, it wasn't the sheer numbers that was smothering them. Damon, for one, saw my body hit the ground and immediately stopped dead in his tracks. It didn't take long for his emotional side to take over and then he looked like he was invincible, making up for the others with sheer hate power. He intended to seek his revenge for his dead wife and that meant he was going to slip up. My husband was unstable as it was and adding my death on top of everything that was happening created a monster of chaos. I could already tell that things were going to end badly.

As a vampire was running towards him, he ran out to meet it and the two collided with a loud thump. They rolled around along the grass until they came to Ian's feet. At Damon's command, Ian waited for my love to move before he pulled down the machete with the full force of his weight and cut the rodent's head clean off.

The distractions continued. Jeremy, who had been doing so well up until that point, felt his last feeling. A palm on his side and he was reduced to not but ashes. This began another chain reaction. Jeremy's brother, Rick, wavered and almost had his own life taken away.

But none of this mattered once Alphaeus had decided to join the ruckus. He strutted through the crowd as if he owned the place and let out a loud whistle. In an instant, the vampires joined in a circular formation around our team and closed in until there were only a few feet between my people and the enemy.

Their leader casually walked just inside the circle and put his hands on his hips. "Well, well, well. It looks like you managed to smite the big, bad monsters, but you have not yet won. Why is that?" He smirked at the pain he saw in many of their faces. "Suppose I propose a deal. Perhaps that would lift your spirits some. The eight of you can join me and my colleagues here on a cross-country trip."

Damon scowled. "Don't you mean 'rampage?'" he corrected in a venomous manner.

"I highly doubt you could call it that. It would merely be a few brothers in arms taking a stroll across a crimson midnight. Hardly a rampage at all."

There was a pause before Cal jumped in. "You said eight of us?" According to his calculations, there were nine. It wasn't that he was considering the offer, but it was something he wanted to be clarified.

"The human is not invited unless he wants to join the superior race." Alphaeus raised his eyebrow at Ian and waited for some form of acknowledgement.

"I think I'll pass. I prefer to eat my veggies." His hand hovered over his weapon though it wouldn't do much to his target.

He shrugged, a movement that was unbecoming of someone that was otherwise so eloquent. "As you wish." His attention returned to the designated leader. "And what about you, Damon? Will I have to turn you unto me or will you come willingly? Surely you are better equipped to make the easy decision." Again he paused for an answer but none came. Moments left, fleeting, and with each minute that passed his impatience festered deeper and deeper inside of him. "Tick tock." Nothing changed in the countenance of these warriors and he burst. "I will have to give you some motivation then." With that, he leaped forward with his sword in hand to dispose of the human.

_I'm going to regret this. _Right at the last second, Cal jumped in front of Ian and took the sword in the chest. According to his mind, the pain was excruciating even for an immortal being. For a while, it hurt and it didn't help when the Original twisted the sword in place. In spite, he reached behind him and grabbed a stake from the man he had been trying to save. In one swift movement, he forced the wooden stake into the Vampire's heart and smirked.

Alphaeus looked down at the sharpened rod protruding out of his body and shook his head. Then he took the object out with ease and shoved it into my brother-in-law and friend. "Stakes cannot kill me, young Moretti. After all that time we spent together and you still did not learn anything. You should not have tried." He watched as the life drained out of his body, turning Cal's skin to a leathery grey and his veins to an unrelenting ebony. He reached for his blade but stopped as the heads of both the phoenix and the witch hybrid rolled up to him and knocked up against his left foot, one right after the other. Slowly, he craned his neck to see over his shoulder with a flicker of fright in his eyes. A sword glowing bright purple rested gently in the air not far below his ear. "I am glad to see you decided to finally join us, my love."

"You're not that lucky," I scoffed as I held his gaze.

_You know what to do_, Sariah told me softly in my mind. Then I felt her spirit leave me alone in my body to join her predecessors in the ether beyond.

"Evie?" Damon asked, his voice shaking with hope and despair. "Is that you?"

I grinned without removing my eyes from my prey. "Yeah, Damon. It's me." I said to Alphaeus, "You really shouldn't have taken the lives of my friends and if you even think about getting up, I'll chop off your limbs one by one until you're nothing but a torso with a face. Got it, cheese brain?"

He couldn't move. The sudden state of shock was freezing up his joints like liquid nitrogen. No one had ever overcome him and lived to tell about it. _Darkness spreads across the land. Vengeance stretches forth his hand. Blood will run like river's right, a sacrifice to take the night. And yet from western woods this day, the light slaps his hand away. Light overcomes the farthest reach and stops the titan's lengthy breach. None shall die this night I dread, for this is what our God hath said._ The rhyme ricocheted around in his mind in a voice that made any other sound seem inferior. It was like the voice of God himself, if I knew anything of what that would sound like.

Desirous for him to quit his yammering, I lopped off his head. _Finally. It's about time I joined the action. I was getting tired over there on the sidelines. _With a half-grin, I nodded to my friends. In a heartbeat they understood what I wanted of them and went into action. Taking out the last few vampires was a piece of cake once I had decapitated their creator. The wolves pounced as they ran after the escapees and worried nothing of making their job thorough. They would be poisoned by a single bite and unable to go very far. The force field remained in place. Even if they survived for several hours, they wouldn't be able to cause any last minute chaos.

The few that remained by my side stood around staring at the corpses that lined the snow, Cal's last of all. These creatures had been human beings and not all of them evil. I had read the minds of each one of them and heard the cries as they fell. From what I could hear from Ben, he had also. None of the others had the displeasure, had to hold that burden with them forever.

Ben sighed and dropped his hands to his sides as the last light went out. "We'd better clean this up before someone stumbles across it. You guys might like the decoration but it's not exactly usual…" He nodded to Ian who was somewhat shaken and began the long night's work.

This left me alone with Damon and together we watched the children play. He wrapped his arm around me and eagerly touched his lips to mine. Then he went for my sword and asked, "Can I see that for a minute?" Hesitantly, I gave it over to him and waited to see the result of this action. He stepped over to the body of the deceased Original and stabbed the flesh, swinging his whole torso into the motion as he scarred the carcass. The sight was quite horrific, blood and chunks flying through the air. He had good reason I supposed, but that didn't take anything away from the uneasiness I had for him.

I dodged the wild blade and grasped his wrist. I didn't want to hurt him but I couldn't comfort a man who wouldn't allow me near. I released my grip and threw myself at his chest. No words left my lips because there wasn't anything I could possibly say right now that would take away the hate and sorrow that made his heart heavy for his brother who lay only a yard away.

The boys added Alphaeus to the piled corpses and lit it up with a fireball that took more effort than it was worth. Ben was so worn that it would take days to fully recover his strength from the exertions the conflict had required of him. The friends we had lost were nestled side by side, out of the shadow of the foul mound, and burned as a precautionary measure. It was better for everyone this way.

One question came to Damon's mind and that question was, _why?_ _Why him?_

The pyres' flames licked the air and filled it with a stench that made me want to vomit. It was time, time to leave the past behind us. The deed was done and we could go home.


	16. Chapter 16: Free at Last

Chapter Sixteen:

Free at Last

_Tara._

Damon and I rushed to lead the way back to Moretti Manor. As we approached, I scanned the spiteful house for signs of life. There was no way to know from the outside whether or not anyone who had once resided in the house yet remained in this world, not for sure. We rushed inside and zipped up the stairs at an inhuman speed with only horrifying images to poison our minds. Thoughts had time during the short journey to roam and they were absolutely awful. _What if she's dead? My baby Tara can't be dead. What if Rose was killed after inviting a murderer inside? What if the killer didn't even have to do that? He might have been another creature that could effortlessly pass through the threshold._

Some of my fears were intensified as I beheld a corpse that was strewn in the doorway to Damon's room. It was a man as far as I could tell, though he smelled like fish instead of the garden variety human being. Whoever it was, it wasn't our first priority. Damon and I pushed our way into the room and sighed, a gesture of relief. Rose sat in the chair by the bed, rocking my little girl to sleep and both were outwardly unharmed.

I chucked my sword to the floor and rushed to the old crone's side to take my child in my arms. That was the only place, besides those of my husband, that I knew she would be safe.

Tara's eyes opened, eyelashes fluttering, and she beamed up at me. _Hi, Mommy! _Her internal voice was too cute for words and they made me want to hold her tight until I could absorb her adorable appearance.

I kissed her forehead and fell into my love's chest, so worn from the battle despite my small contribution to the fight. It didn't help that I was been test driven like a Cadillac. "Hello to you, too, my little one."

Her gaze flitted over to Damon and she gave him a wider grin than before. _Hi, Daddy!_

He didn't need to be able to read her mind to know what she was saying. "Hello." While his manly exterior conveyed a sense of cool, smooth baby abhorrence, he loved being a father and thought that our daughter was the greatest gift he could ever receive.

I glanced up at Grandma Rose and sent an appreciative smile her way. "Thank you so much for keeping her safe."

Rose grabbed her things and began packing immediately. "You're welcome, although I didn't do anything." She saw me look back at the dead guy on the floor and shook her head. "That wasn't me. If you don't mind, I'm gonna take off before things get hairy. Take care." And with that, she left the room and exited the house to return to her home in Buffalo.

Damon and I looked into each other's eyes and then down to our baby. Had she really zapped a guy to death?

She understood the question simply enough and giggled, showing me what I wanted to know.

Rose and Tara spent most of the night eagerly awaiting the return of the entire crew. The elder of the two had her doubts about a positive outcome for our team, but she decided in the end to keep her thoughts light now that she knew my baby girl had a talent for peeking into the minds of others. She stood by the window with Tara in her arms and looked for some kind of signal that we were okay. In the distance, she could see flames and flashing lights of blue, purple, and red, but none of that gave her the answer she was looking for. _Are they okay?_ She liked to make us think she was a mean old lady. The truth was she was a cranky woman, but also a motherly one. She couldn't help herself from feeling anxious.

After an hour or so had passed since the others had left, she headed for the stairs to put my daughter to bed. It took a lot of effort for this chubby yet somehow athletic grandma to make it to the top, but she took it one step at a time. Without realizing anything was wrong, she opened the door to Damon's room and was knocked backwards by an unknown assailant.

As she fell, the baby went flying and landed quaintly in the arms of fish-boy. He grinned and took out a gun, pointing it directly at Rose's face.

In that instant, Tara's eyes flashed open from her deep sleep and she reached out to touch the skin of fish-boy. Once her palm made contact with her kidnapper's arm, she electrocuted him like I had seen her do to Damon and the others except a hundred times more powerful. He tumbled to the ground, but she stayed where she was, fighting against the forces of gravity. Slowly, she came down until she rested gently in the arms of her babysitter.

Another hour had passed before we had finally come home to check on them.

_I kept Grandma safe! Did I do good?_ She asked softly, measuring my expression.

"Yes, you did a good job keeping Rose safe." I felt Damon kiss the top of my head.

_You're awesome_, he thought. _Creating the cutest, most powerful witch baby ever. _Cal's name echoed in the back of his head, but he tried his best to focus on the positives for now. To him, this wasn't the time to blubber over a guy everyone thought he hated.

We went downstairs to the living room where the others sat, finally dressed and staring off into the distance. Everyone had lost someone today. Martin—the wolf who was in love with Connie—, Neal, Billy, Rick's brother Jeremy, and Cal. It was too much for anyone to bear. Rick was sitting lifeless on the floor by the fireplace and the others were slumping about the room. Only two people seemed to be missing from the melancholy panorama that hadn't already been accounted for.

Ian came up to the three of us and glanced down at Tara. "I'm going to go home. Fauna will freak out if she wakes up and I'm not there." _Plus I have sudden desire to see her again. I need to know she's safe. _He met my line of sight for no more than a second before he looked away. _Sorry about Cal. _He walked out and drove away towards town.

Once he was gone, we strode up to the pack leader, Patrick, and thanked him vigorously. "We are grateful for your friendship," I granted with sincerity. "You and your pack have done a great service tonight. While Wolfcrest will be none the wiser, they are a lot safer with you around. You can stay here as long as you like and if you ever need anything in the future just let us know."

Patrick stood and gave me a lengthy hug. _I am most glad you are safe. I almost thought you had left us. I am also sorry for your loss. I know how you feel in this instance and I know your strength. You will be able to overcome the grief in time. Just remember that you have friends and a family that loves you. Never feel like you are alone in anything because you are dreadfully wrong. Also, never be afraid to cry. Tears must be shed in order to relieve pain. It is a natural human emotion, even for a vampire such as yourself. Rely on others when it is necessary and know that I will always be here if you find yourself in a bind. I thank you for everything you have done towards alleviating the guilt I felt before and for keeping these boys of yours on the path of greatness. You truly are a rare woman and never forget that. _He pulled away a couple minutes later when Damon started giving him the "okay, dude, that's long enough" glare. "My friends and I will head back to the Black Hills as soon as the sun rises."

I nodded and gave him a half-smile. That's all either of us could muster up for the other. These were sad times and smiles of any kind were hard to come by.

Mr. Moretti and I sat down on the loveseat and I curled up beside him, holding our daughter as close to me as was possible without crushing her to bits. That's where we three felt complete. We needed each other more than we could ever really comprehend and more so now that the only other family we had that knew about our situation was gone. Cal had pushed away his selfish behavior at the very end and gave his life for another.

Similar waves surrounded the auras of everyone in the room. Each person sensed that the one they had lost had done so for the protection of the whole. No one spoke. They didn't dare. Silence was the flavor of the evening and it was the only thing anyone consumed. We all wanted to go to bed and fill our minds with sweet dreams but didn't because of the lingering fear that nightmares would possess us instead. There wasn't an image in our heads that didn't involve death and destruction. Wolves gnawing on each other and turning to ash were the popular choices followed by a stake to the heart in a close second. The gloominess of the group contaminated the walls and a place that had once meant love and teamwork now meant death and loneliness.

Eventually, everyone went their separate ways to find empty rooms to rest their heads. Sleep would not come easily to anyone tonight, but it was necessary.

Damon stood as I did and waited for me to follow.

Instead, I handed Tara over to him while trying not to wake her up from her slumber. Then I stayed where I was and reassured him that I was okay. "Go tuck her into her cradle and I'll be up in a minute."

It took a second for him to compute the command into action, but he made his way up to his room a moment later.

After I heard him close the door behind him, I wandered up the staircase until I came to the room that would contain my best friend inside. I stopped just outside the door when I heard a woman's voice.

Connie was sobbing, unable to contain her emotion. Somehow, Ben had seemed like the right person to confide in and I didn't blame her. She was right to lean on him. He was a strong friend and, like I had seen in my dream, they were meant for each other. I quietly tapped into Ben's mind and saw his intentions immediately. He did love her, not like he loved me, but just as much. She was someone he could marry and share a life with, someone who knew pain along with the mysteries of the world and didn't run from them. He embraced her, stroking her blonde hair as she shook with grief.

Ben heard my mental voice in the hallway. _We will talk soon. I have a few questions for you._

_Okay._ There was nothing more to be said for the moment. I backed away from the door and stepped outside to lie in the snow near the tall hedges that formed a high fence around the marble fountain in the center. The white powder was nothing to me. We were about the same temperature so it was more like lying on a blanket or one of those memory foam bed pads. Hopefully he would hurry up once she fell asleep. She looked like she was on the brink of sleep anyhow and probably wanted to escape the wretched truth of the world. Besides, I had to be with Damon during this troubling time. He required me to be by his side.

In mere minutes, Ben came out with a blanket and spread it out beside me. "So you almost died today," he began.

"Yup." _Is this really what you want to talk about?_

_Yes. There is nothing else that needs to be discussed._ "How exactly did you escape your fate this time, missy?" _I thought you were a goner and here you are. I almost gave up fighting because I thought you were killed. _He stretched out on the thick mantle and waited patiently for my answer.

I thought back to my out of body experience and recounted every detail. _Sariah knew that her sword wouldn't work on herself. When Alphaeus stuck me with it, it didn't affect my body because her spirit was possessing me. She had sent me away into the ether and gave herself full control over the actions of my "vessel." I couldn't be inside if her plan was going to work._

_Okay… That's one thing, I guess. Then what about the decapitation thing? How did you know that was going to work on him?_

_Sariah told me. While I was paralyzed, she explained what I should do with the sword in order for it to do what I wanted. I had to entwine its soul with mine and—_

_It has a soul?_

I stared him down for interrupting me. I hated when he did that. _Yes, it has a soul. Can I finish?_

_Sorry._

I sighed and turned my eyes up to the midnight sky. _I had to entwine the sword's soul with mine and it would do everything I commanded it to do. Her sword is the only thing besides werewolf bites that could kill an Original. That's why she knew it would be important to get our hands on it. Without the sword, it would have been thirty times as hard to take that stupid son of a gun down._

_But you did it._

_Yup. _It wasn't anything I could really be proud of at that particular moment. Our victory had come at great cost.

_Well, I saw you get struck by that red light. It came outta Alphaeus's ring… What was that about?_

_Oh, yeah. Apparently the ring he was wearing could do a lot more than indicate the appearance of a "special creature." It also zaps a victim into a state of paralysis. Sariah made that ring for Alphaeus so it didn't actually work on me while she was at the forefront of my brain. Nothing a witch or warlock creates can harm them if they don't want it to._

He nodded. _That's good to know. Does that mean you can't hurt me? I technically helped make you what you are._

I poked him with my finger and let out a small spark of electricity. When he rubbed the painful spot on his arm I shook my head. _Nope, you're still my victim, Fillmore._

_Anastasia._

_Fillmore._

_Anastasia!_

_Fillmore!_

I shook my head once more and buried my face in the snow. _Why does life have to suck?_

_It doesn't suck that bad, at least not for you. Your husband and baby girl are alive and kicking, your best friend is awesome, and you've got all of eternity to look forward to. I think that's a pretty good deal._

_Not when it meant Cal's life…_

Ben pushed me onto my side so he could look into my eyes. _Evie, he did it to prevent the death of a human soul. Let him have that and let it go._

_No. He didn't. _I remembered what he had said seconds before his life was taken. _"I can't let Ian die, not if it means Evie will feel pain." That's what he thought. How can I let it go? He did it for me. For me! What the heck was he thinking?! That idiot! I hate him. I hate both of them, him and Alphaeus._

_Why—?_

_For making me care about him. He spent all that time pushing me away so forcefully only to do _that_! That was the last chance I had to see the old Cal and he goes and dies on me! I hate him. _I thought back to what our instructor had told us. "Don't play the hero. If you see someone going down and you are already in a bind of your own, destroy first and aid later. You're not helping anyone if you're dead." And he wasn't. We would have been better if he was here. _He should have waited for me. I was going to end up killing him anyway. I was right there. So close… _I got to my feet and headed back to the house. _I can't do this. Not now._ I needed my love, my Damon.

With urgency, I ran inside, up the stairs, and down the hall to Damon's room soaking wet. When I entered, the baby wasn't there.

"Where's Tara?! Is she okay? What happened?"

Damon enveloped me and kissed me to shut me up. _She's fine. I put her in another room…_

I saw the image playing out in his mind and reciprocated, kissing him more forcefully. I understood how Damon's mind worked. Whenever anything bad happened or we started fighting—which happened very little—we ended up intertwined. This sort of grief was going to loom over both of us for a while and, at least for him, there was only one remedy for the situation. I didn't mind. It was better that I was here for him in whatever way he needed than for somebody else to take my place.

He held onto me tightly and jumped, shooting through the air with me attached to him until we hit the bed, making it slam against the wall—mostly on purpose, to give others something to talk about. Then one thing led to another and, KABLAMO!

Satisfaction filled my lungs and I exhaled with a weary smile. It was hard not to be gloomy and in despair after so many had perished, but it was even more complicated after a display like that. Thinking about deceased beings watching everything you do is a creepy thought.

He was tuckered out as he held me close and pressed his lips to my forehead. "And Evelyn Moretti wins the gold."

I nudged him in disapproval. "Are you rating me now? Because if you really want to go there, you didn't even place as a finalist," I ragged.

Damon grinned and leaned in to kiss my shoulder. "Oh really?" He sighed and slammed his head against his pillow. "I guess I'll have to do better next time." The reply was half-hearted and there was only one reason that could make that possible. _Stupid little brother, always getting himself into trouble. _Even this couldn't take Cal off his mind.

There wasn't much else I could do, so I put my hand over his eyes and whispered, "Sleep." At my command, a violet light flickered around my skin and he fell into unconsciousness straightaway. I lay my arm across his bare chest and smirked. _Let pleasant dreams carry you away from the harsh reality that surrounds you. _I didn't mean to do bring magic into the equation, but I was glad that he could find his escape without effort. He deserved a prolonged rest from life and all its disappointments.

The dreams that encircled Damon's mind in that moment were sweet indeed notwithstanding everything that had happened that night to make him miserable. His fantasies derived from memories of his past life, back when he was human, and combined with other dreams he'd had of what he imagined his life would have been like if he hadn't been turned.

He was running around in the yard behind his father's house and was in pursuit of his brother who was carrying a leather ball for a primitive game of football.

"Catch me if you can, brother," Cal called back to him.

Children joined the chase and tackled their uncle to the ground.

Damon beamed down at his little brother, success written all over his face. That's what having a child was all about—having an army to bring your opponents to their knees in a simple game. "I caught you."

Cal grabbed one of the children, little three year-old Temperance, and squeezed her tight. "Are you playing this game by the rules, Temperance? Or are you trying to help your Papa cheat?"

She giggled and nodded her head vigorously. "Uncle Cal got knocked down!" She gave him a big kiss and ran circles around him, flapping her arms like a bird in flight.

Damon scooped her up and spun around, holding her high in the air. The two laughed blissfully.

"What do you think you are doing, my love?"

He looked over in the direction of the woman's voice and smiled as he placed the little girl on the grass and stood by the side of the curious speaker. He gave her a tender kiss and replied, "Evelyn, the children and I are… practicing battle skills, of course." Somehow, this seemed like a good excuse for roughhousing in his opinion.

I eyed him skeptically, but the corners of my lips turned up out of habit. Even in his dreams, I couldn't look at him without smiling. At least his imagination kept to the facts in some respects. "Oh, alright. Just see to it that none of you gets injured. Lunch will be served shortly and I expect everyone to get washed up before they sit down at the table."

Back in reality, I grinned and closed my eyes to soak up the reverie. As long as he was happy in his dreams there was a possibility that we would both pull through. Cal was a dear brother to both of us and it was sad to see him go, but sometimes people pass away. Not everyone gets brutally stabbed with a wooden stake to the heart, but death is a part of life. The world is all about the power of opposites—yin and yang, light and dark, good and evil—and if it wasn't we would never be able to enjoy life as we see it. We must first know grief to know true happiness.

Cal's sacrifice would never be forgotten.


	17. Chapter 17: Reminiscent

Chapter Seventeen:

Reminiscent

January 27th, 2013 was our last full day in Wolfcrest. For many reasons, we would never be coming back to the town that had caused us so much pain. Anything worth remembering was carried with us in our hearts and there was no need to stay there longer than we had to. At dawn, the remainder of the werewolves left for the Black Hills, all except for Connie. She was staying behind with Ben. It seemed like those two were really becoming close confidantes. Patrick and the others wished us good luck in our endeavors before they took off out of the front door. He understood that we required time alone before we returned to our home to the west and desired to take up as little of our personal time as possible. Those werewolves were in good hands with that one. Ben and Connie headed over to his house for the day to spend some alone time of their own. Ben figured that it would be good for Connie to be around his human family, the kind that knew nothing about the paranormal activity in the world. With everyone out of the house, it was just my husband, Tara, and me.

Once I got our little girl into some decent winter attire, Damon strapped on a baby carrier and we ventured out the door to tour the town for the last time. We were going to hit all of the spots that we felt were noteworthy. Our first stop was the park to go visit the pond where I used to play as a child, where Damon and I had our first date. At the time, I hadn't really thought of it that way or even of him. He was my boyfriend's brother back then and he was trying to cheer me up because he figured that Cal was never going to come back, not once the Original had a hold on him.

There were a lot of kids there on that Sunday morning. Everyone was excited to be in the snow and they didn't waste any time. Tomorrow would mean school was back in session and they wanted to have fun making snowmen and having snowball fights.

Tara enjoyed watching the other children and her eyes grew with curiosity. _What is that, Mommy? What are they doing? _Many times she asked me this and I smiled.

We were sitting by my favorite tree and her attention was focused on the ice-skaters that took pleasure in going around in circles along the edges of the frozen pond. I explained to her what ice-skating was and she asked even more questions on the subject until there was nothing left for her to ask.

For Damon, merely seeing the wide-eyed expression on our baby's face was enough to please him. Our conversation was silent so he didn't actually know what was being said, but that was okay. He preferred the silence. One day, Tara would speak like a normal human being and that was when he would hold his conversations with her. The fact that she was already capable to speak in her mind didn't faze him. He kind of thought it was weird so he left that stuff to me.

Upon request, I held a handful of snow to Tara's face and she marveled at it.

_What does it taste like? _This was the only question I expected more than the others. Children always wondered that kind of stuff, putting everything in their mouth as long as it could fit.

I pressed my finger into the cold powder and let a few flakes touch her tiny pink tongue.

_Water! It tastes like water!_

I chuckled. _That's what snow is, silly. Frozen water._

_Whoa…_

Out of impulse, I scooped up some snow and casually compressed it into a ball. Giving no warning, only a side glance, I crushed it into Damon's face and quickly got to my feet with Tara on my back.

As I suspected he would, Damon stared up at me with a blank face that turned to determination only seconds later. He stood up, grabbed as much ammo as he could, and chased me around the perimeter of the pond at the fastest human pace he could manage without stirring suspicion. "You started it!" he called to me. To avoid hitting the baby, he aimed at my feet or on either side of the carrier so that the full force of the blow didn't affect her but she could still have fun getting snow in her face.

"You can't catch me!" I ran just a bit faster than him to keep my place ahead of him and gracefully dodged each incoming attack. "Way to aim, honey. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!"

"Them's fightin' words, missy," he shouted back. He bounded a few steps in front of me and suddenly stopped in the middle of the way, facing me.

I rammed into him and we crashed to the ground causing snow to explode in every direction. At the exact same time, we took up some fluffy white stuff and shoved it in each other's faces. We chuckled and I bent down to give him a quick kiss.

Damon grinned as I pulled away to see his sopping wet hair. _No pouncing in public, Evie. _"There's a time and a place," he said with a wink.

I tossed more snow at him and pulled myself and the baby back up. "I could say the same to you, ya boob." I stuck out my tongue and walked the few feet to our tree to begin sculpting the perfect fort.

My husband came down to my level and accepted my instruction. He didn't realize we were in for the long haul.

By the time we were done, it was like the Taj Mahal of forts if such buildings were made out of mounds and mounds of packing snow. It was big enough to get noticed and a lot of kids admired it from afar. With a new fire in their hearts, they did their best to imitate the fine architecture of frozen water. There were many different rooms and a ceiling on the inside all of which could be accessed from the center. We were vampires. We could do whatever we wanted. Plus, inside the igloo fort thingy Damon and I could play with our child out of the public eye. I was never a big crowd kind of a person and while the children from town were quite adorable, I would rather spend some alone time with my family.

We sat together on the inside and didn't do much else in the park. The fun part about being a family is that when you do stuff together, you don't always have to be doing something. Sometimes it's best to just be near one another. You can talk and play and joke around, and that's fine and all, but silence can be enjoyable, too. All you ever really need is each other.

After another hour or so of that, lunchtime came around and so we decided to act like normal people and go get some food. We decided on going to the Wolfcrest Bar and Grille.

The first item I noticed when we stepped inside the door was the "Employee of the Month" wall. The only reason I remembered it was there at all was because I saw the image in Damon's mind as we walked in. He was looking around as any normal person would when entering into a new atmosphere and he tried to avert his eyes but it was too late. I saw it. On the wall for September 2011's employee of the month was my best friend Tara Healey's picture. Part of me had forgotten that she had worked there while she was… still alive. The other part of me understood that memories of her were merely tucked away for safekeeping and only brought out of storage for special occasions, like anniversaries or birthdays. Her hair was how it always was, light brown with dark highlights in wavy tendrils around her face. Her eyes almost appeared to follow me as I stepped closer to the wall, olive green and full of so much love and sarcasm. She hated working there—mostly because of the awful pay and the "bland" black-on-black uniforms. She always used to make me visit her during her nightshifts because she'd get so bored of all the customers and the annoying busboys that she'd be seconds away from quitting. Since she really needed the money to save up for college, Tara obligated me to give my support and I willingly gave it anyway.

It took a few minutes for Damon to get me to move away from her picture but I finally closed my eyes, bowed my head down low and followed. Out of nowhere, my stupid pop singer wig appeared on my head and I was forced to wear sunglasses indoors.

He sat us down at a booth and we sat on the same side so he could wrap his loving arm around my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He had never really gotten the chance to get to know Tara Healey, but he understood how close we had been since early childhood and the subsequent aching in my heart.

I nodded and glanced down at the baby in my arms with a smile. "I'm okay." When I adjusted to my surroundings, I recognized the booth.

Back at the beginning of my last year at Wolfcrest High, Cal and I had been on a date in this very restaurant—because it was really the only good restaurant in town—and had been sitting at that exact table. Damon and I sat on the side I had sat last time just across from his younger brother… who was dead. I wanted to scream! _Why does everyone around me die? First my parents, then Damon almost, Louis, Molly, Tara, the wolves… AND THEN CAL?! My freakin' brother-in-law slash ex-boyfriend! WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!_

Despite my wishes, I couldn't handle it. I wanted to pretend that everything was okay and that I was strong, but I wasn't. I had held it all in for far too long and now I was going to burst from the inside out. I tore off the wig and sunglasses, handed my lovely, little Tara to Damon, and bolted out of there. As soon as I was outside, I disappeared at an inhuman speed. I didn't care if anyone had seen me. There was somewhere I had to be.

Sobbing, I came to halt at the Wolfcrest graveyard and buried my face in the snow around my grave marker. I wanted to dig up the grass and dirt with my hands until I was six feet down and then jump into my casket. I didn't want to live forever anymore, not if I had to watch everyone around me die. That's another reason I never wanted to return to Wolfcrest. In fifty or sixty years, everyone I ever knew would be dead and buried right in that very cemetery and I would still be eighteen years old, unable to move on to the next life without taking my own with a wooden stake.

I remembered the last time I was there in that graveyard, staring at the tombstone that bore my name. Cal had come to find me before Damon came home. That was when he had begun to realize that I wasn't going to be with him forever. I was married to his brother and anything that could have ever been was no more. He looked down on me with pity, seeing an angel that had seen the darkness of the world and was forced to live amongst the humanity that was promised to all those with a beating heart. He had placed a blanket around my shoulders and kept his distance because he cared for me and would do anything I wanted him to. In the end, that's what always happened. All I had to do was ask and I would have what I wanted. So where was that man now? If I asked for him, would he come back?

My fingers ripped away at the ground and bits of soil got stuck under my nails. If I really wanted to, I could have had that hole dug up and submerged myself in dirt by now, but something was holding me back.

I heard a big, brand new truck pull up to the street curb a mile off. The brakes and tires shrieked in resistance to the driver's orders. Feet trampled on the crunchy, ivory flakes at an average human's sprinting speed and stopped a couple yards away from me. I didn't bother to look up when I heard his mental voice. I knew who it was.

_Anastasia, you really shouldn't mess with consecrated ground like that. Priests tend to get really pissed off._

_Shut up and leave me alone, Fillmore. I'm not in the mood._

_I heard, all the way from my house, in fact. "Why does this happen to me?!"_

I lay on the wintery ground like a starfish and blubbered. _You shouldn't have left Connie's side. I'm fine._

Ben melted away a patch of snow until you couldn't even see a drop of moisture and sat down. _Obviously. How could I have mistaken this behavior as anything abnormal? Please forgive me…_

_You don't have to be sarcastic with me._

He placed a comforting hand on my back and rubbed it gently in soothing circles. _Yes I do or you'd never know when you were wrong._ A moment was spent in pondering peace as he scanned my thoughts for a while. It was helpful to know what he was working with. _I hope you realize that if you die, I'm jumping on the crazy train along with you. You know that, right? You're my best friend, the girl I thought I was going to marry from the age of four right up until the beginning of high school. You are like the little sister I never had or really ever even wanted. If I wouldn't let anyone else take your life away, what makes you think that you have the right? What makes you think I would allow you to do that?_

I didn't say or think anything.

_If you _EVER_ act like this again, I am dragging you to the cellar and chaining you up until you get your act back together. _His tone was serious and somewhat frightening. The caring Ben had left the building. Rather, it's not that he didn't care but that he cared too much. The sweet act wasn't working so he cut to the chase. _Too many people have died and you're not going to be next, whether you like it or not. Would you really abandon your child that way? Damon? What would happen if you left that idiot to take care of a baby all by himself? He doesn't know the first thing about childcare other than feed it and change its diapers. He'd probably end up feeding her blood because he doesn't know any better. So don't you go checking out on them, if I don't matter to you._

_Of course you matter to me, you idiot_, I contradicted. _I just… I don't know. Maybe it's my fault they keep dying. My parents wouldn't have died if I had been there to stop it. Tara wouldn't have died if I had taken back control and protected her. She would have been fine… she would have… been…_

He sighed and slumped to my face level. _Sometimes I feel like I say things but none of it really gets through to you. YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE! You dead equals many crazy revenge seekers cracking down on innocent victims._

I peeked at his face with a raised brow. _You wouldn't go rogue._

_You don't know me very well if you honestly believe that. There's no telling what I would do because it hasn't happened—and it never will—but I wouldn't rule anything out. You've seen your husband on a rampage. Imagine a similar byproduct but with more magic and less bloodsucking._ Another exhalation of discontent mixed with the air around us. _Remember that one time we ran away? We were seven years old and we had convinced ourselves that we could run away together and live in the wild like that kid's show we used to watch all of the time._

_The Wild Berry Gang…_

_Yeah. We made it all the way to the edge of the woods and you wouldn't go in there because you thought a monster lived there._

I turned my body to its side to face him. _I was right, wasn't I? Vampires and werewolves._

_That's not my point. Don't you remember? That raccoon came crawling out of a bush and you screamed so loud. You jumped on my back and told me to take you back home. What did I say to you?_

… _That you would never…_

He nudged me to complete the sentence.

_You would never let me die._

_And I'd always take you home. _He stood then yanked me to my feet and brushed away the grime from my jacket. "And that's what I'm gonna do." He took me by the hand and dragged me to his truck even though I could definitely run faster than thirty-five miles per hour.

I allowed myself to be pulled along like some run of the mill puppy dog at the end of a very tight leash. No one ever just left me alone to think on my own anymore. Suddenly you have a kid and everyone is worried about you twenty-four seven.

Ben opened the door for me and, when I didn't move, he picked me up and set me down on the seat. Then he closed the door and waved his palm to lock the door so I couldn't get out without him opening the door for me—except, if I really wanted to, I could break the window and escape that way. _And if you did, I would take you down using my antigravity spell or that fun little vampire migraine trick Old Rose showed me._

Smoke blew out of my nostrils. _Why do you keep treating me like a child?_

_Because, despite the fact that you're a mother, you still act like a baby._

I frowned at him as he got in through the driver's side and started the engine. _Harsh._

_Tough love, sister. Get over it. If you are going to be a mother, you should probably start acting like one. Tara Lynn is pretty intelligent for being only a few weeks old but she's going to need you to show her how things work in the real world and who knows how much help Damon will be with _that._ Not to mention all that boys and puberty stuff when she gets older._

The thought of Damon trying to talk to sixteen year old Tara about "urges" and how her body's changing made me want to laugh. He was all about sex and partying but when trying to talk about that kind of stuff to his own daughter, I think he'd wig out. _I guess so._

_Well, don't guess. You're a hell of a crazy person to think anyone would be better off without you. I don't know a single person on this planet that could possibly benefit. Do you know what happened when we pretended to kill you off? They held a memorial for you like they did for Molly except the next day at school almost everyone was walking around like zombies. The lunch lady freakin' quit her job to spend more time with her kids. THE LUNCH LADY! People may have known Molly as the student at the top of the class but you made a lasting impression on every single person in town. You were the nice, quiet, shy girl who came out of her shell in the last few months of her life. That creep Nick Gimbly talked about you two during his graduation speech._

_I get it! I'm not going to kill myself. I wasn't serious. It was just a joke._

He slammed on the brake pedal and robotically pivoted his neck to glare at me with fire in his eyes. _Don't you DARE say that to me again. I swear to GOD, if you even _think _about suicide or jumping off a cliff or whatever, I will build a valerian grenade the size of your face and shove it down your throat. I'm not losing anyone else and I'm sure as hell not going to lose you, of all people. So get that crap out of your brain NOW._

If I thought he was serious before that was nothing compared to how he was now. There was not a doubt in my mind that his words rang true. Imagining the valerian burning the inside of my esophagus was not a pleasant picture and I sat there thinking about how much pain he must be in to have to go to such extreme measures of keeping me safe. _Thank you_ was the only thing that sounded feasible for what he was trying to do for me.

His eyes situated themselves back on the road and he gradually built up the vehicle's speed back to that aggravatingly slow thirty-five miles per hour. _What are annoying, fake big brothers for?_

The rest of the car ride was spent in ominous hush. Soon we arrived at Moretti Manor and I couldn't leave my seat.

Ben heard the thought and took my hand. _It's okay if you don't want to face your memories. I understand, a lot of bad crap happened in there but you're going to have to acknowledge that crap before you leave tomorrow or else you'll always feel somewhat incomplete… And you were just talking about not being able to open the door, weren't you?_

I sighed and shook my head at him. _You're a dummy._

He came around and unlocked the door for me so I could face my memories.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Ben grinned and nodded. "I wouldn't miss saying goodbye to my stupid little sister."

"Fillmore."

"Anastasia."

We stuck our tongues out at each other and he kicked me in the heels. _Go on and get in there. He's waiting for you._

With reluctance, I took in a lungful of air and slowly released the imprisoned molecules back into the world. One foot in front of the other, I walked to the front door and delicately turned the doorknob. Ben was right. A lot of stuff had happened in the Moretti's house. Pressed together like scenes in a movie, I could see each and every one of my memories of that place.

The first time I had ever laid my eyes on the house was right after I had discovered that humans were not the only creatures walking around on two legs with faces like ours. Cal had me on lockdown with Damon as my babysitter to make sure I wasn't going to get eaten by the vampire posing as my high school French teacher. Many days and nights after that were spent in the arms of Cal as he promised that no harm would ever come to me. Thanks to some form of hypnosis from the eldest of the two, many of those days were conflicting for me. I'd be with one and thinking only of the other. It was heart-wrenching. Then I found out the Morettis were creatures of the night after piecing so many obvious signs together that eventually there was no other explanation. Cal told me about himself, how he avoided human blood, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Since high school was a pretty weird time for me, he decided I should join a club or something and we ended up participating in the school musical as Romeo and Juliet. Hours were contributed to practicing lines that made me want to strangle myself. Stories were told, people were hurt and even killed, forced to live in the cellar, etc. All in all, it was completely normal…

Damon met me at the door and threw his arms around me instantly. "Where have you been? I couldn't follow your scent and I was worried about you." He cradled my head to his chest and rested his chin against my hair. _Please don't do that again._

As if he'd made one of my internal bubbles burst, tears overflowed in my eyes and I sobbed like the little child I was. "I'm sorry!"

He squeezed me even tighter. "No, you don't need to apologize—"

I tried to shake my head, but I couldn't move enough to complete the motion. "No, not because of that. I was trying to be strong for you to prove I could handle everything but I can't. I can't." More moisture stained his black dress shirt and it wouldn't stop no matter how hard I tried to hold back the tears.

"Evie, he's dead. That's not something you can just avoid."

That was rich coming from the ultimate avoider of all things depressing. "But I wanted to help you get through it but we… and you didn't feel any better so I thought that if I… if I could stay strong you would be able to heal faster."

He sat down right there on the floor and put me in his lap without ever letting go of me. "Yes, he was my brother, but I have to believe that this is best for him. He loved you, Evie, and he was alone without anyone else to make eternity less of a curse. Now he's moved on where he can be happier." The words sounded strange coming from him.

"Who died and made you sensitive?"

And just like that, he pushed me and headed for the stairs. Once he reached the steps, he looked back at me, waiting. "You should hurry. I put Tara down for her nap but she won't go to sleep without knowing you're okay." _At least, I think that's why she's been so obstinate._

I shadowed Damon up to the third floor where the baby lay in her crib in the room at the end of the hall. As soon as she saw me, she called for me with her mind. _Mommy! Where did you go? Daddy was scared that you'd left us._

"It's okay, now. I'm here." _You should really try to show your daddy that you love him more often._

_Okay. Will you tell me a story? I can't go to sleep without one._

"I'll tell you a story," I conceded as I leaned in against the edge of her crib to stare into her gorgeous, Damon blue eyes. "Once upon a time, there was a young girl who didn't have that many friends, but the ones she had were very close to her. One day, a man came across her path and she found him interesting. She didn't see him often after their first meeting, only every once in a while except for in her dreams, but she looked forward to them, even if she didn't understand it yet. He would say nice things to her and they would seem like jokes but he actually meant it. One night, he told her that he loved her and tried to make her forget, but he couldn't because she wouldn't let him. Days passed and eventually he put on a disguise and kissed her in front of lots of people. Then the girl and guy lived happily ever after." I tucked her in and pressed my lips to her precious cheek. "Now it's time to sleep or you won't wake up before dinner."

She beamed a toothless smile of joy and then to her father and closed her eyes straight away. _Good night, Mommy. Good night, Daddy._

I tickled her button nose and linked myself up to Damon's waist before turning off the light. "Sweet dreams, Tara Lynn."

"Good night, kiddo," said Damon quietly. He closed the door and peered down at me. With a smirk, he took me up in his arms and carried me off to the roof.

Ah, the roof. It had been a while since the two of us had gone up there. We sat down on the bench on the widow's peak and looked out at the scenery all around us. He enveloped me and I smiled, thinking about the only other time we had sat on that bench. Since it was after our first official "I love you" kiss, a lot of making out had occurred followed by stargazing and more making out. Then he'd asked me what felt like the silliest question to me at that time. _"Midnight has come and gone and still you stay with me?"_ Duh! As I had replied then, _"I couldn't imagine sitting next to anyone else for an eternity."_ Everyone had disagreed with my decision, but I never really loved anybody like I loved him. The second he told me that he was giving up on me to let me be with his brother, I couldn't think about another person but him. He was what made me want to wake up in the morning and change into something decent, out of my sparkly pajama pants.

"I love you," he breathed deliberately to me.

I glanced up at his handsome face and flashed my pearly whites at him. "I love you, too. For all eternity."

"For all eternity." He took me up into lap and kissed me with such urgency that it was hard to concentrate on keeping my composure. But I didn't have to around him. We were married now and one of the perks was being weird and expecting comments of curiosity, but also knowing that your spouse would never leave for such a frivolous reason.

And then…


	18. Chapter 18: A Fond Farewell

Chapter Eighteen:

A Fond Farewell

As I awoke, I felt somewhat… Peaceful. I was going back home to the place where Damon and I had vowed we would stay, for a while at least. Once people began to notice that we weren't aging we would have to move elsewhere for a time, but that was the place we were always going to go back to. That was where we were going to raise our little Tara Lynn and we would never have to come back to this awful hole, for which I was truly and irrevocably grateful.

I rolled over and examined Damon's sleeping form. As if he somehow felt my conscious presence, his eyes opened and he smiled in recognition.

"Hmm… Hello, beautiful..." _What was your name again_, he jested.

I shoved him off the bed and got up to get dressed. "Jerk."

He chuckled and immediately flashed to the space just behind me and flexed his arms as they shrouded me. "Wait, I think I remember now!" He put his mouth to my ear and breathed my name. "Evelyn Anastasia Moretti." His lips traveled down my jaw to my bare shoulder and eventually made their way back up until he reached mine. His kiss was velvety smooth, soft from my constant touch. _Are you ready?_

A quiet laugh escaped from my throat and I turned to lock my arms around his neck. "It depends on what I should be ready for." The words brought a smile to my expression that couldn't be avoided.

"Ooh, now I'd have to think about that." He smirked and I saw the plan forming in his mind. Before I could protest, he brought his teeth to my neck and sucked on my skin until a tiny welt appeared.

Sighing in agitation, I pushed him away and scrambled through the drawers of his dresser until I found a shirt suitable for my sudden condition.

Once we were all ready, the three of us made our way downstairs with our suitcases and met up with Ben and Connie in the lounge. The new couple sat on the couch waiting for us and quickly stood when they heard our descent down the nearby stairs. I had to admit, they were adorable together and their children were going to be perfect marriage candidates for my grown-up child.

_Slow your roll there, Evie. I haven't even gotten to first base with her._

It took all of my willpower to keep myself from busting up and rolling around on the floor. _Then you better hurry up, then. _Instinctively, I adjusted my ebony turtleneck to cover the hickey and shifted my baby into the arms of my beloved. I was going to spend the next ten to twenty minutes hugging the crap out of my best friend until he understood that I wasn't playing around. He was going to marry that girl if it meant I had to strangle him to death to accomplish this task.

Ben held out his palm to stop me and gestured for me to hand something over. _Your daylight rings_, he specified. _Give 'em here._

"Damon, can I see this for a second?" Without pausing for an answer, I slid the onyx ring off his finger, removed my own, and placed them in Ben's expecting hand. _What are you gonna do?_

He stepped over to the window and tore aside the curtains. Chanting some magical mumbo jumbo, he covered the two rings in a blue light that emanated like rays of sunshine, a light that gradually faded once he was finished. He came back to our side and returned them to me. _Now she can't read your minds._

I replaced the objects to their rightful spaces and scrutinized mine carefully. If I looked deep into the usually flat black—two-dimensional in color rather than shape—I saw a milky way of blues, violets, and pinks that warded off unwanted mindreading. I could feel the new energy. _Can you still hear me?_

_Mhm. I added a few exceptions. I can still hear you and you can still hear Damon. Pretty cool, right?_

"What the h—heck did you do to my ring, witch boy?"

_Do you have one?_

_Nah, but I'll probably make myself one before I visit you again. Who knows? Maybe it'll come in handy._

_Why do you think we need them anyway?_

_Because your child shouldn't have to hear about all the… stuff you guys do when she's not around. I sure as heck don't want to hear it. Ps, the turtleneck just makes your hickey more obvious. Nobody likes a show off._

_I'm not showing it off! I didn't even know he was going to do it to me on purpose._

"Hello?!" _I really hate it when you guys do that…_

Connie didn't understand what was driving Damon to the edge, but she imagined it had something to do with the looks Ben and I were giving each other. The thought that came to the forefront was about the jealousy she felt because of the two of us. Like everyone else and their brother, she made the assumption that we had a physical relationship in the past.

We let out a huge sigh in unison and tried not squirm at the absurd conjecture. It made both of us want to puke.

I clung to my husband and glanced at the gift renewed. "Ben added to its capabilities so a certain somebody wouldn't peek at our brains."

_I hope it includes that idiot over there._

I ignored the statement—because he was wrong—and changed the subject. "You guys should stop by as soon as you get the chance and pass that on to the rest of the pack. You're welcome any time." _You don't really have a choice, Fillmore. I expect a visit at least once a month and no less._

_Promise. _"Yeah, you bet."

My elbow collided with Damon's chest.

"Ow… Oh, yeah. We can't wait…"

"No! The other thing, silly."

Damon dove into his pants pocket, gripping our daughter tightly with the other arm, and pulled out a set of keys. "The car and the house are yours." He quickly snatched them up as Ben reached for them and added, "Take good care of it. This house could be your great grandfather."

_So could you. _"We will."

Reluctantly, he forked them over and put his free hand on my waist. It was the only thing keeping me from clinging to Ben forever. That sap was going to stay behind again and I didn't want to leave my big brother like I had been forced to do before.

Ben stifled a chuckle and copied Damon movements, wrapping an arm around his werewolf girlfriend. When he heard the woman's racing heartbeat with our vampire ears, his thoughts sprinted in several directions, but hastily concentrated on sports teams.

_Jeez, Ben. My child doesn't need to hear that kind of crap._

_God, witchy boy. You need to get a hold of yourself fast. If you two get any more frazzled, I'm gonna have to make a scene about it. _Damon understood the male mind enough to know that's where the lovebirds were mentally going.

Awkward silence fell and everyone in the room was saved by a knock at the door.

_Oh, thank God_, Ben praised as Ian entered the room.

My former French teacher sensed the aura of the group and stopped dead in his tracks. "Well, don't you guys look like posies in winter," he said with a faint snicker. He crossed the floor and gave me a hug. "I can't believe you're leaving again."

"It's for the best." _Mostly for Damon and I._

"Yeah, well, you make sure that husband of yours treats you right or I'll have a couple of words to say to him." He released me and peered down at Tara that slept soundly in my husband's arms, still kind of tired from all of the excitement yesterday. "She's quite the looker, isn't she? You take good care of the girls, Damon."

He seemed to acknowledge the man's skill and human superiority and nodded. "I will."

"So, I guess you guys are taking off soon, huh?"

"That's the plan." Damon's boosted mini-van was parked in the street, already packed with everything but our suitcases. There was a lot of stuff we wanted to bring back with us and it wouldn't have fit in the awesome sports car that we had commandeered from the airport parking garage.

Something was on his mind but he was trying his best not to think too much about it, a task that remained successful. "I'll be right back. There's someone who wants to talk to you." He scurried out to get whoever it was.

When he next opened the door, a familiar smell wafted into the house with the frigid outside air. My eyes widened and I ran towards the person, throwing my arms carelessly around her. "Aunt Fauna!"

"Evie," she cooed as she embraced me. "I thought you were dead, but Ian told me it was all staged for your protection. I don't really understand but I don't really care. I'm just glad I have you with me again." She looked past me and saw my husband holding our baby. "Is she yours?" she asked.

"Yeah, you want to hold her?" I guided her to the others of my family with Ian walking closely behind us. I carefully picked Tara up and gave her to Aunt Fauna.

She smiled and tried her best to let the baby sleep. "What's her name?"

"Tara Lynn Moretti," I beamed.

"She looks just like you two."

I saw the rock on her left hand and nearly jumped for joy. "You and Ian are getting married?"

Ian came to her side and took hold of her. "Like her ring? I picked it out all by myself." _I would have asked for your help but…_

"It's beautiful! You did a good job. Are you guys thinking about having kids?"

"If they're all as cute as this little tike, yeah," replied Aunt Fauna.

_Maybe not right away_, clarified Ian.

I giggled. "She is a cutie."

Damon stepped in and stroked my side so fast that no one would see, but it tickled. "She gets that from her mother."

"So are you still a writer, Damon?"

_A writer? Oh, yeah._ Way back when Damon and I were training up to get me in shape for some good, old-fashioned vampire hunting, he had come over to the house with Ian for dinner and was schmoozing my aunt into believing he was better for me than everybody else who might have come calling for me. "I am. I haven't been able to finish this one finicky chapter of the novel I'm currently working on, but it shouldn't be too long before it's complete."

"What kind of story is it?"

_Uh… _"It's a thriller. You know, guy meets girl and has a complicated, eccentric life as a rogue bounty hunter. Stuff like that."

She actually appeared to believe the crap that he was laying down. "Really? That sounds so interesting! Let me know when it makes it to the shelves so I can read it."

"I'll make sure to tell you personally."

"You better!" She let out a breath of release, all stress now expelled from her body. "I can't believe you're already married and have a kid. College?"

I nodded. "Top of my class."

"Good." Her attention turned to the two who were standing over to the side. "Who's your girlfriend, Ben?"

He brought her closer and let her introduce herself. "My name is Connie."

Aunt Fauna eyed the girl and shook her hand with a bit of extra effort. For a human, it was a lot harder to juggle a baby than for the rest of us. "Nice to meet you. I'm Fauna Richards, Evie's aunt. Make sure you get Mrs. Whitmore to show you those pictures I took for my introductory photography class my first year of college. Ben and Evie were the cutest kids you've ever seen. I made him look like a prince."

Ben opened his mouth to talk back to her but was silenced.

"Don't fight with me. I may be one of the only cool adults in town but I'll still call your mother."

Damon looked at his watch and gave me a squeeze. "We have to go. We want to make it home before ten." Neither of us needed to sleep but we thought it was best for Tara to get adjusted to our house sooner rather than later. Plus, she deserved to be able to sleep in her own crib instead of spending hours and hours confined to a car seat.

I heaved a sigh and bobbed my head in agreement. "Okay." I shifted Tara over to Damon's waiting hold and squeezed the living daylights out of that silly aunt of mine. "I love you."

She didn't comprehend the urgency of my embrace but held me tight regardless. "I love you too, snow pea."

The next person to receive my boa constrictor vice grip was Ian, my soon to be uncle. "You take good care of her, okay. Don't forget to visit town sometimes. Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble."

"Trouble?" she complained.

"I will, Evie. Don't you worry."

I shook my head. "I'm not." Then I looked back to Connie and gave her a quick hug. "Be sweet to Ben. You're gonna be together for a long time and I don't want to see my best friend torn to shreds."

Connie knew what I meant. "Okay."

The last was the dummy in question who was a bit appalled that I thought he would be so easily victimized by a werewolf. "Stay cool, Anastasia." _I'd hate to have to stake you somewhere down the line._

"Don't call me Anastasia!" I slipped my goodbye letter in his back pocket so he could read it later. _I didn't forget. _Then I grinned as my eyes shut tight, breathing in the faint scent of cologne and a sports bar. _I love you, bro._

_Love you, too, sis._ He kissed my forehead and pushed me into my husband. "Now get outta here. You have a long journey ahead of you." He shook Damon's hand and glared. "I'll see you next month."

Damon looked at him with a wrinkled scowl. "Don't threaten me."

Aunt Fauna laughed, a lovely sound I had missed so much. "Are you two always like this?"

Ian slapped his hand to his face and let his head hang low. "Worse, babe. Worse."

"Evie, can you go strap in the baby? I have something I have to take care of before we go." _I'm sorry._

I bit my lip, holding back the tears and escaped outside with Tara clutched close to my chest. The moment I was out of sight, I let a tear fall down my cheek and made myself snap out of it. Damon had to make her forget that she had ever come to that house. Ian would take her to work on his way to the high school and she would remain unknowing, thinking that I was a doornail and nothing more. Even with my vampire dexterity, I fumbled with the car seat's straps and exercised restraint. I wasn't going to cry anymore, not about this. This part of my life was over and all that would remain of it were the few people that I held dear. Everything else would have to stay behind.

When he came out with the suitcases, he immediately fixed his eyes on me to see if I was okay. It was clear from my sorrowful face that I wasn't. He shoved the suitcases between Sariah's sword and the baby and got into the front seat beside me. Without saying a word, he held my hand and started the car. This would be all the comforting I needed.

As we drove westward, I thought about every single memory I had of my life since the day I was born up until today. Grief had always been a large part of my story, having a father that died not long after I was born shortly followed by my mother at age five. But there were happy times back in that stupid town of mine, Wolfcrest. I had two best friends that were always there for me and an aunt who was cooler than any adult I had ever known. Tara, Ben, and Fauna made up a wonderful family for me. According to my dad, I turned out pretty good so they must have done something right. There may have only been a handful of us, but I was never alone. I was born an only child but I had been adopted by so many people that it made up for it. It would have been nice to know my parents. From the stories I had heard of them and what little I could remember about them, they sounded like good people. In a way, though, I didn't need them anymore. I could never replace them—they were my blood—but families aren't strictly blood-only relatives. Ben was better than any sibling I could have ever had and Tara was like that annoying older sister who wanted you to be just like her. They were perfect for me and their parents helped Aunt Fauna look after me. That's not so bad, right?

I stared out the window at the trees that seemed to pass us by and silently looked up towards the heavens. _Thanks, Cal. _Without him, my life never would have been the same. I probably would have known less pain in my life like the heartache that was caused by a lost love or the separation of death, but he saved me more times than I could count. If even a single part of him had been different, so many things would have changed. He wouldn't have fallen in love with me and made me fall for him. I would have never met his brother, Damon, and we wouldn't have gotten married. I would probably be dead a dozen times over and so would many more people who just didn't know it. I would have stayed in my comfort zone until the day I died and been that shy, little Evie that got married to Ben, a thought that still makes me feel weird on the inside. In the end, it was all because of him and I was grateful for the day during that September when I bumped into him, literally. That was the day I became me and my destiny had been altered.

My mind went right back to that battlefield and I thought about our small number standing up against the greatest darkness the world had ever known. It could have been ten against ten thousand and we still would have won. We wanted to protect the humans that went about their daily lives without knowing about the things that went bump in the night. Because no victory is free, some did perish and it was hard for everyone, but that's not what I tried to focus on. I just stayed on that image of those brave fourteen warriors ready for a fight to the death, loyalty and determination painted on all of their faces.

During this tragic return, more friends were made, evils were defeated, and it had all started with a phone call between brothers.


	19. Chapter 19: A Life Renewed

Chapter Nineteen:

A Life Renewed

A few months later, in the spring of 2013, another semester had begun and life seemed pretty normal. If Damon and I didn't drink blood during meals and have a three month old daughter who had a knack for magic, we would have appeared almost human.

Like most people, our day started when the alarm went off in the morning and we were simply grateful it was Friday and the weekend was only a few hours of class away.

"Aw," I groaned. "Five more minutes."

Damon didn't move either and stayed in the position he slept in through the night. "Make it stop."

After another minute of that repetitious beeping noise, I finally turned it off and tried to sit up but was unable. "Damon, come on. We're in the first week of classes. We can't start skipping already."

He refused to let go so I was forced to rely on alternative methods. I wriggled around until I faced him and gave kisses all up his chest. That certainly had to wake him up.

Of course, it didn't. Well, not exactly anyway. He was awake now, but he still wouldn't get out of bed. He flipped me over until I was flat on my back and kissed me without pause.

"Damon," I said sternly in between kisses. "We… have… to… get up."

He grinned. "We are up."

I took my place on top of him and sat on his chest. "As in right now, mister." I pressed my lips to his and leaped out of bed before he could catch me. Class began in about an hour and there was a lot of daily routine stuff that had to be completed prior. I opened the double doors to our walk-in closet and rummaged around through the drawers and clothing racks until I found something suitable to wear. The ensemble for today consisted of a flowing black dress, a red belt, and a dark leather jacket with boots to match. I put back my bangs with a hair-tie and left the rest to fall in loose curls. Then I applied a bit of makeup and was done.

When I came back to check on Damon, he was still being a bum. I rolled my eyes and headed for the door only to be cut off by you know who.

He leaned in and smudged my lipstick with his mouth for a minute.

Running out of time, I pulled away and wiped the rouge from his lips. "Red is not really your color."

"Really?" he asked skeptically. He pointed to one of his fangs and continued, "Because I thought the whole vampire thing said differently."

"I meant on your face, baby. Now go get dressed and I'll make breakfast for everyone."

Damon sped in and out of the closet in about five seconds and returned to his place in front of me, his hair perfectly done. "Or I can just come with you. Why does it take you a whole minute to do your hair? That's too long," he joked.

Hand in hand, we stepped out the door and went down the hall to Tara's nursery. She was awake and looking up at the dream catcher Connie had made for her as if she was hanging out until someone came to get her. We got her ready together and brought her down to the kitchen. She was wearing a cute little onesy that said "Daddy's Girl" and a pair of dark pants. Her father loved seeing her in it and, honestly, who wouldn't?

I made French toast while Damon whipped up some sausage, eggs, and a bottle for our daughter. It was always fun to spend some time in the kitchen with my husband. He'd start showing off, flipping sausage links a few feet in the air and catching them with ease. Tara found it entertaining, giggling as she watched the two of us hold a little side show for her. If it wasn't for our awesome reflexes, half of the food would have ended up on the floor. That was another perk of becoming an eternal superhero.

"Guys! Breakfast is ready," I called upstairs.

Ben and Connie came downstairs, trying their best not to tumble to the bottom in their pajamas, and fell into their seats around the island counter. Neither of them had any desire to be up quite yet, but were in attendance anyway at the mention of food. After a long trip from coast to coast, they seriously needed the energy that only a hearty breakfast could provide.

"It's crazy that you guys get up this early for class. It's only seven," whined Ben. _And why the heck would you _choose_ this kind of schedule, anyway? It's not like you need to know your hip bone from your funny bone. You're a vampire, for Pete's sake. Go puncture a vein or something. Besides, you pick what time you want classes. At the very least, you should have scheduled yourself for a class that was closer to ten o'clock. Ten works better for me. I'm sure Connie concurs._

"Whiners don't get eggs," warned Damon, scraping off a quarter of the pan's worth of food onto a plate for our guests one by one.

_But winners get eggs, you gothic baboon. _"Whining and pointing out facts are two completely different things."

"So you don't want food? Good enough for me."

_Evie! Make him stop! He won't give me food. I need my grandma's breakfast a.s.a.p. Otherwise, the world might implode from magic brain overload._

_I've got this. _I slapped Damon in the arm and sat down with the baby in my arms. "Be nice, you two. Children are present." Tara cooed as I brought the bottle to her lips and it made me smile. "Daddy is being a big meanie, isn't he?"

She nodded and clapped her hands. _Silly Daddy._

"Tara agrees," Ben said with a chuckle. _Glad to see the kid's learning quickly._

He joined us around the counter once everyone was served and scooted his chair as close to mine as the space between us would allow so he could put a hand on my waist as he ate, ignoring Ben to escape from being scolded. He figured if he said or thought anything that I didn't agree with, I'd hit him. And he was right, but only because I believed in a harmonious environment.

Breakfast for Damon and I went by quickly. I gulped down the last few sips of my O-positive and gave Tara to Connie. Usually, she'd go to daycare but Connie really loved chipping in. She and Ben were still in the dating phase of their relationship so kids weren't exactly on the to-do list just yet, but they weren't too far away. She hadn't told Ben yet, but she was pregnant with twins who were both about a month or so along. Anyway, we reminded them what to do if they needed us, grabbed our backpacks, and sashayed out to the Mustang that sat up front in the parking loop.

Damon and I jumped over the sides of the car to get into our seats and he put his arm along the back of the seat. With the top down, we could soak up the warmth from the sun to acclimate our body temperatures should anyone try to shake our hands.

School was interesting for a couple of vampires. Put a pair of well-dressed, unnaturally good-looking creatures in a crowd of ordinary people and everyone seems to stare. We held each other's hands as we got out of the car and smiled as Damon walked with me to my first class. It was hard for us to ignore what the silly humans were feeling at the sight of us, but we were only interested in each other. Along the way, I listened in to the thoughts that were humming around. Many of the students wondered how two beautiful like us had found each other. In their minds—and Damon's—we were two twelves' on a scale of one to ten. How did two high-ranking creatures find each other in the sea of one through tens? Now that was a long story, indeed.

At the door of the classroom, my husband gave me a real foot-popping kiss just to embarrass me and let everyone in there know that I was off limits. Then he gave me a wink as he headed out the door to go to his class. He'd be back to pick me up after his English class was over in an hour and a half.

Without Damon by my side, it was easier for me to concentrate on my studies. "Anatomy I" wasn't exactly hard for someone with a photographic memory but when you have a handsome scoundrel with a short attention span like him around it becomes significantly more difficult to pay attention. Luckily, the only class we had together was a simple math class that was required to earn our diplomas so there wasn't really a need to focus too closely on what the daft professor of ours was saying. We sat in the back of the classroom and whispered in voices so low that no human could hear us. Usually, he'd be joking around with me about using me to cheat on tests. He'd ask if I could read the teacher's mind for the answers and I'd tell him he was lazy to which he followed up with, "Yeah, but you find me sexy anyway." It was true, so I couldn't really contradict him there.

When I was in Anatomy alone, I'd skim the textbook for a couple minutes and focus on answering the questions for participation points. However, during those few minutes in between, I'd ponder. A few minutes of deep thought was good for someone who had all of eternity to look forward to.

The popular topic that was really gnawing at me was Tara. Unlike Damon and me, she was human and that meant she was going to live and die like one. There were complications with vampires having a baby with a heartbeat. I suppose that's why they are not usually able to. The reality was that one day she would either die or we would have to kill her, technically speaking. We could give her the choice, when she was old enough, to either die as a human or live forever as a vampire. The only problem for me was what if she chose wrong? If she decided to stay the way she was, I would have to watch her shrivel and age until she eventually passed away from decay. On the other hand, if she chose immortality, she would be stuck on a path that neither of us had ever wished to tread. Tara would have to die in order to live and that was something I couldn't handle.

However, that was a decision for the future and never something I could talk about with Damon. He already knew that this was a dilemma for me but he couldn't bring himself to think about it either. There was time between now and then to figure out what we wanted to do, so there was no reason to ruin our happiness so early on.

Then there were the events of late. As much as I would have liked to leave my life in Wolfcrest to rot in a black hole somewhere, I wouldn't be anything I was today without those memories. For that reason, I had a few mementos from my time there. There was the locket that Cal had given to me, a family heirloom that I cherished but never placed around my neck. It still contained the valerian that had been stuffed inside for my protection. It remained as a symbol of who I had once been, a feeble human that someone believed was worth a tender thought. I had also kept Sariah's sword, of course. She had gifted it to me for safe keeping. There would be a day in the very distant future when I would be able to return it to her but for now it was mine to do what I wished. Since there wasn't much I could do with a magical blade, it was hung on the wall as a tribute to those days. Sometimes when I looked at it, the metal still glowed in anticipation, waiting for the day I would wield it again for the pursuit of happiness for humankind.

The last of these things was my daylight ring, an object I utilized every minute I stood out in the sun or was in the presence of my young one. Ben had given it to me as a precautionary measure one random day and it turned out to be the thing that my whole existence depended on each day. It reminded me that I had a wonderful brother who was always looking out for me, even if he was off on the other side of the country. He cared about what happened to me and it didn't matter that I was a soul chained to a body that emanated eternal youth. Ben was too cool for words and a joy to have in my life.

Once I ruminated on that one for a tick, I switched over to personal questions. For example, what did I want to do with my immortality? When you have an unlimited amount of time ahead of you, there are an endless number of possibilities. Damon and I could visit every corner of the world once Tara is old enough to walk and talk with her vocal chords alone. We could learn everything there is to know or discover the yet unknown. We could build a time machine, call it a TARDIS, and ride it around the many different galaxies to see things we weren't alive to see the first go around. I was very interested to see how it would all turn out for us, but then again many people would. Others, like Damon, just live by the seat of their pants and let life as a whole be a never-ending surprise.

These are the things you think about when you're a vampire and a student, sitting in a padded chair in a lecture hall for about four hours a day, three days a week.

After math, our last class, we slowly traveled towards the garden where we liked to do our homework for a bit before we had to bring Tara home. It was less complicated to finish our assignments when we were in public. It made it impossible to do… other things during the time we allotted to taking part in our studies.

I think one of the things that drew me towards the space was the beauty of the many different flowers singing in a vibrant chorus. The look of the place screamed ancient Greece while the blossoms everywhere resonated with a life renewed. It was spring and sitting out in a garden was the kind of stuff any good-hearted human being would do in their spare time. A couple drama classes were even meeting by a random fireplace in the middle of the grass. There wasn't a person alive or dead that didn't want to enjoy the delectable air of spring.

Damon took the opportunity as we sat beside one another to note the furrow between my eyebrows. "You know, if you keep looking like that your face will get stuck that way."

"Hmm?"

He smoothed out the skin above my nose with his thumb and kissed it. "What has you so worried, my love?" _Please say it's not about Tara. She'll be fine. I swear to you. We'll figure everything out in time._

"Just trying to do my homework." Okay, that was a lie. I couldn't concentrate on homework. There were too many other pressing issues at the moment. I sighed and told him what was currently on my mind. "I'm not worried about anything, just pensive. I'm merely wondering about what happens next. A couple of night stalkers have a baby. Then what? What did you want to do with your eternity before I came into the picture?" Part of me didn't want to know and dreaded the answer.

"Pretty much the same thing as I want now. Making love to a beautiful woman."

Like I had assumed, I really didn't want to know. Merely thinking about him anywhere near another woman gave me the heeby jeebies.

He continued, "Is that the only thing you're 'wondering' about? Or is there something else on your mind that you're not telling me?" _I hate it when you keep things from me, even for a little bit. No secrets, remember? I don't keep secrets from you._

_Only because you couldn't even if you tried. _"I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep anything from you. I guess I'm still not used to having someone like you around."

"Someone like me? Oh, you mean a rugged, sexy, tall, dark and handsome man with a blood problem." _Just what every mother wants for her daughter when she grows up. A hot, blood-thirsty vampire husband!_

"You know, a guy who loves me and wants to know everything about me," I clarified.

_And I do. _"So what is it that is making you have pensive face?" He scooped me out of my seat with ease and set me down on his knees, cuddling me.

I sighed, feeling like an idiot. "Aren't we going to get bored?" I felt like all the vampires eventually did and that's why they always decided to embrace their darker natures and become serial killers. There was nothing left for them in the world so that was really the only thing they could think of to keep life interesting for them.

He didn't mean to laugh, but it sort of came out without his permission. "Don't worry. I'll try to keep it fresh." When he saw that this answer wasn't cutting it for me this time he kept talking. "Evie, why don't we take it a century at a time and then see how it goes. You'd be surprised what you could do when you're with someone you care for. It's a lot easier to have fun when you're not alone." _You can trust me on that._

"Yeah, but you weren't stuck with someone like you for the past two hundred something years," I tried to jest. After I said it out loud, it only sounded mean.

He kissed my neck and I could feel his lips turn up in a smile. "You're right. I was all alone, but now I have someone even better by my side. I'm certainly looking forward to it. How 'bout you?" The jealous side of Damon was curious to hear my answer, insecure in only this one respect.

I chuckled and met his gaze. "I think I'll manage." We kissed and he allowed me to return to my seat so we could do what we came here for.

I took his advice to heart and finished the day with him side by side. None of that crap was going to bother me now that I knew how ridiculous I was being. It wasn't really my fault. After all, I was still new to this whole immortality trip, but it was nice knowing that he'd be right there beside me through whatever we faced. If boredom was going to be our biggest problem, than our lives were going to be pretty easygoing.

Following our hour in the gardens, we went home and were immediately greeted by a couple of friends and a daughter who had been wondering for the past ten minutes when her parents would finally get home. We ate lunch together, spent some time together out on the town, ate dinner, and then went our separate ways, each seeking our own form of personal amusement around the house. Damon and Tara were getting a chance to bond. A lot of her time was spent with me or the two of us at the same time but not as much of him alone, so I liked to give them a couple hours to play. When I say play, normally the one who was playing was Tara and pranks were often involved. She'd come up with a game of consequences where Damon would have to figure out what she wanted and if he was wrong he'd get zapped. It was hilarious to watch from afar or even listen to from another room. Connie must have also enjoyed it because she sat down on the couch spectating while the two were on the floor being weirdoes.

Ben and I took off and made our way up to the roof to chat. We hadn't really had the chance to be alone yet and that was the kind of thing that best friends needed every once in a while. This was the time of the visit when he'd let me know what was going on in Wolfcrest, who was mayor, and what was the ridiculous trend. Sometimes he'd talk about my Aunt Fauna and Ian and the progress report of their relationship, not to mention his own. Now that he lived in Moretti Manor, he saw his parents a little less, but he still saw them every day and he'd always talk about them. They knew exactly where he was and who he was with but only some of the company he was keeping. Whenever he'd refer to these trips with Connie, he'd say, "Yeah, I'm going to visit Damon and his family over at his place out west." I was depressed about it for countless days after I left, but it was so nice hearing about human matters that I lost sight of all that nonsense and only held on to the good. If they thought I was dead, that was fine. I didn't care as long as I could watch them progress from afar.

We stared up at the stars holding hands with a plan to stay up for the rest of the night in that same position. We only got to see each other once a month and while that might seem like a lot considering the distance, it wasn't enough. That's why we took advantage of each moment we were together and spent what time we could off on our own doing what we do best.

"Fillmore."

"Yes, Anastasia?"

_Don't call me Anastasia._

_Don't call me Fillmore._

"Anyway, what do you think about having children?" The topic was going to have to come up sooner or later and I figured he really had to know. Connie wasn't planning on telling him until it was absolutely unavoidable. I didn't blame her. She had spent so much time with the wolf pack that social norms were out of her reach. She didn't know what she would say to the man she loved, especially about such a delicate matter like kids.

He chuckled. "Are you offering?"

I elbowed him in the rib. "No!" I shouted. "It was just a question."

"I don't know. It doesn't really matter yet until… Oh, my God." It finally clicked. _There was that one time Connie and I… but I didn't… Cra-a-a-a-a-p._

"So," I began again. "What do you think about having children?" I suppressed an "I told you so" and a smile from escaping out into the air.

He shrugged and sprouted his first gray hair simultaneously. "I want kids, but I didn't think it what happen this soon." He looked over at me. "Do you think I should marry her?"

The question stunned me a little. _How the heck should I know? I barely know her. _"Well, duh. You don't get a girl pregnant and then leave her, you idiot. But you should also be doing it because you love her and not just because you're a stupid head."

He turned his head to stare at me.

"What?"

"Stupid head?" _What? Are you in 1st grade?_

I sighed and cursed my ability to read minds. "My class sits right next to the school's daycare and I start picking up their habits after an hour of hearing them playing and fighting."

"Ah huh." With a sigh of his own, he smacked himself in the face and left his hand near the point of contact. "I do love her, but I can't believe I did that to her… Wait a minute. How do you know and I don't?"

"Vampire." _I heard their heartbeats._

"Their?!"

I smiled. "Congratulations! You've got twins!"

Ben contemplated throwing himself off the roof. This was a bit too much for him to take it all at once. "Oh, my God. I can't breathe." He peaked at me through his fingers and asked, "Was it like this for Damon?" _Please just say yes and make me feel better._

"Yes." _Nope._

"Really?"

I replayed the scene for him of Damon and I jumping on the bed squealing, "We're gonna have a baby!"

This was the last thing he wanted to see. He covered his eyes and slowly pulled at the skin as he ran his hand down his face. "I'm going to be a terrible father."

At this comment, I quickly sat up straight and slapped him upside the head. "You really are just the biggest dummy I've ever seen. I've already observed us in sixteen years and you raise a couple of awesome teen wolves who love you to pieces, so get your head in the game and go marry yourself a Mrs. Whitmore already." I stood and put my foot on his chest. "And if you so much as breathe a word about me telling this to you, I will kill you in your sleep and feed you to Damon."

He made me help him up and gave me a hug. "You're so adorable when you tell me what to do." _Silly little sister._

_Now who's talking like a baby? _"Let's go. You should confront your lady love. Oh, and if you want to add a little pizazz to your engagement, I'd ask her before she tells you she's pregnant or she'll feel like you're asking because you feel obligated." That would have been a tragic end to their relationship.

We returned to the house and split off into our strange families, me with my spouse and child and he with his future ones. We all wished each other good night and headed upstairs to our rooms. Damon and I took a quick detour to Tara's room to tuck her in. A long night of electrocuting her father left her exhausted. Then we went into our master bedroom at the end of the hall and dressed down for the night.

Damon and I climbed into bed and we soon fell asleep in each other's company. Right before we could no longer speak, he told me that he loved me and the words held so much power that it was no wonder that he and I had ended up falling for each other. I echoed his sentiments with all the love in my heart and smiled, fighting against the unconsciousness. I let it take me when I remembered that I would have another hundred or more years of this. Every night for the rest of eternity, I could fall asleep in his arms and hear him pledge his devotion, sealing it with a kiss. He was my husband and I his wife but not because of any obligations, but because of love. Damon was right, as I always found out way too late during those times he was actually correct. When you have someone you care about beside you, nothing else really matters. You could live for a hundred or even hundreds of years and it wouldn't change a thing.

I thought back to all of the fabulous, joyful times in my life that existed because of Damon. In a hundred years, I would have plenty more ways to describe why being with him was worth an eternity. A single lifetime wouldn't be enough time to let him know that he was important to me. That's why I didn't fear death or even being alive forever. If he was going to be right there beside me I would be okay. I could live a thousand years and my feelings for him would never change.


End file.
